She explained that, that is how racial hatred starts and told them a few historical stories, one being about the Holocaust. She was shocked to find out that the students had never heard about the Holocaust.
After learning about the students’ knowledge about the Holocaust, she came up with the idea to introduce them to the book of Anne Frank. The school had the books, but unfortunately her students being from low poverty weren’t allowed to use the books, because the school administrators felt that the books weren’t at the reading level of the students and would they would be ruined or never returned which would cause them to order more the next year and that was considered wasting school funds.
Not allowing her to use the books for her class, Mrs. Gruwell decided to work two extra jobs so she would be able to afford the necessities for her students. She bought her students the Anne Frank books and personal journals with her own money. Which filled the students with excitement. Went above and beyond to give her students a class trip to experience life outside their own lifestyles. The students were truly thankful and felt that she truly cared about them and had high expectations that they grow to love