12 | The Jewish Press | February 26, 2021
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Whether ignorance or malice, hate in any form hurts someone… When hate wounds us, we have a clear choice: ignore it and hope it goes away, or face it. But when our hurt is derived from another placeone less easily understood, the choices become less clear. Why would an educator uncap their dry erase GARY NACHMAN marker and, without any Regional Director, context, elevate the words, ADL-Plains States benign or not, of Hitler and Region display them for all to see? Was the conclusion that a reasonable quote, even if ascribed to a mass murderer, deserves to be echoed? Was it intended as a history lesson in irony or a challenge in the form of intellectual provocation? Could it have been something even worse? We’ll never know. Not really. Whether offered with ignorance or malice, the weight of words carries irrevocable consequences. Once in the public domain, it is not only our intent we must take responsibility for, perhaps more importantly, their impact. Impact creates culture, it creates the climate in our schools and the realities we must face in our communities. Intent may be elusive, but impact is clear, it’s raw and unfiltered. Highlighting a person responsible for the murder of 6 million Jews and countless other minorities, because he may have said some-
thing mildly thoughtful once, legitimizes the author. It diminishes the memory of those millions who perished. It gives credibility to other things he may have said and paves the way for hate speech and worse. Once we legitimize those who openly prescribe to hate in the public square, we lose our sense of what it means to be fair, what it means to be just. We are dangerously close to that place now. The events of the past few years, even the past two months, highlight growing extremism. In this time, in this moment, words matter. Westside Community Schools seem to have understood this. They took swift action to address a challenging incident without delay and did so with candor and responsibility. They took ownership when others have chosen to deflect. This reflects the maturity and sensitivity required to truly lead students to become better, future citizens. Leading by example, they showed that rather than arguing intent, we gain greater understanding by acknowledging the hurt caused, apologizing for it, educating ourselves and others, and striving to do better.
The need for education starts with our community, teachers, parents and students. ADL is committed to doing our part in working with schools to build spaces where facts are shared, and personal and cultural experiences are considered in every choice made. We need all citizens to do your part, despite ideology or political affiliation. We cannot do this alone. We ask that we all do more in renouncing hateful speech, xenophobia, racism, antisemitism, and most importantly, ignorance. This is so important particularly when the offending party is in your own political party, state, community, school, or family. It is the only way we have a chance to reverse this very real, and very deadly, trend. Let’s applaud Westside for their professionalism and care for their future citizens. Together, we have a chance of removing hate. We are grateful to partner with Westside Community Schools and the Institute for Holocaust Education in addressing this matter. Could this happen again? Certainly, in some form or another it will. Westside has set the bar of intolerance, as seen from this incident, I anticipate future episodes will be handled with equal sincerity.
Hitler quote displayed at Westside Middle School prompts action from District administration BENJAMIN KUTLER Westside Wired Managing Editor On Monday, Feb. 1, an email was sent to all Westside staff members, students and families regarding an incident that had happened that day at Westside Middle School. The email addressed the actions of a teacher who chose to display a quote by Adolf Hitler as the “quote of the day” in a hallway. The email from Westside Middle School Principal Kimberly Eymann and Superintendent Mike Lucas included an apology and was followed up with a second email explaining some of the action that would take place. “We used our morning announcements time and 30-minute homeroom period in all classrooms to discuss the severity of this situation,” Eymann and Lucas stated in the email. Eymann and Lucas also said that they have been working closely with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to help guide them through the steps to come. “The ADL helped us determine some appropriate videos and talking points to share with our students in all homerooms for the rest of the week, Wednesday–Friday,” Eymann and Lucas stated. Eighth-grader Ryan Kugler said his classes are located in the same hallway area that the quote was displayed. Kugler said he is impressed with the way that the school has handled the situation. “I think that the school is handling the situation pretty well, and I like how they are educating kids and teachers on why the quote being written was so wrong,” Kugler said. Westside Director of Communications and Engagement Brandi Paul said that the administration was nothing shy of disturbed by the incident. “We were very upset; so many of our students and staff and families and communities were,” Paul said. “We know the power of even hearing the name Hitler can have on any of us.” Paul said she knows that many positive learning opportunities will come from this. “We are trying to use it as a teaching moment for
everyone: our staff, our students, our families,” Paul said. “We sent out resources encouraging families to talk about it at home.” Since the quote was written on Monday, several news sources have covered the story. The Omaha World-Herald, WOWT, KMTV and The Times of Israel have all reported on the incident.
reflect on the Westside community. “I hope that that’s what people think of Westside from this,” Paul said. “That we don’t just take a challenge. We don’t just accept something negative. We’re going to take that and get better from it. We are going to learn from it.” Kugler said he thinks that seeing a quote written by Adolf Hitler could be more impactful on Jewish students like himself. “I think that the quote shouldn’t have been written and that it was insensitive to many people at Westside,” Kugler said. “Being Jewish makes the quote have a bigger effect on me because I have lots of friends and family who would also not like the quote.” Paul said she hopes people who feel that the administration’s reaction to Westside Middle School Credit Westside Community Schools Website the incident was dramatic Paul said she is aware of the local and regional should consider how they would feel if they had a attention that the incident has received and high- different background. She said she also hopes that lighted the importance of sending an email to the they consider how it may affect other students. community right away. “Everybody is going to perceive this situation a “We certainly understand that this has been all little differently,” Paul said. “What we have to do as over the place; we can’t change that,” Paul said. a school district is remember that we are serving “That was one of the reasons that we wanted to 6,000 students from 6,000 different backgrounds send out our messages to our school and our com- with 6,000 different beliefs, and we want to support munity first. That trust and transparency are so im- all of them.” portant to us... We wanted you guys to hear it from With the future in mind, Paul said that this misus first, to hear the facts and all of the details that take will have long-lasting effects on the district we could provide first so you would know what and the community as a whole. was going on and you could reach your own con“This isn’t something that is going to go away,” clusions yourself.” Paul said. “This is a commitment and a mission for Paul cited the quote by Charles R. Swindoll, “Life us to improve all of those things… over the long is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react term in our curriculum and in our culture inside to it,” to highlight how she hopes the incident will our school.”
