Cape Coral parents upset over yearbook photo of toddler showing middle finger
Emily Long
•5/29/2026
Parents in Cape Coral are expressing frustration after a Diplomat Elementary School yearbook featured a photo of a girl giving the middle finger in a paid ad section.
The student's mother, Vanessa Chaviano, who is also a school board member, addressed the situation in a statement.
"An old toddler photo of our youngest daughter was included by our family as part of a collage in her 'end of year recognition' ad," Chaviano said. "It was an attempt at a silly, candid toddler moment."
She added, "This was poor judgment on my part, and I apologize."
The school also sent an email to parents regarding the incident.
"We understand the disappointment this causes, especially in a keepsake meant to celebrate our students' achievements," the email said. "We are reviewing our submission and oversight process so that this does not happen again."
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