Op/Ed: Zionsville school board candidate's Nazi comments 'reveal sheer ignorance'
Last week, Matt Keefer, candidate for Zionsville school board, said, “All Nazis weren’t bad” in a since-deleted social media post. As a descendant of individuals who perished in the Holocaust, scholar of social studies education and trainer of teachers in the state of Indiana, I feel compelled to respond to the comments made by Keefer. This great country entitles you to your opinion, but it does not entitle you to public office. In Zionsville, the greater Indianapolis area, and beyond, we must not allow individuals who excuse extremism, bigotry and violence to determine policy governing our public schools.
There are entire fields of scholarship dedicated to study of the Holocaust, yet Keefer does not appear to regard any experts in those fields. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum details guidelines for teaching about the Holocaust which include recommendations like, “The Holocaust took place because individuals, groups, and nations made decisions to act or not act,” and “Avoid simple answers to complex questions.” It is not our place to vindicate members of the Nazi Party, nor is a Facebook wall an appropriate forum to discuss the complexities of human nature. We must teach our students that the Holocaust and other unjust events in history were not inevitable and that there is meaning and power in their individual choices that have implications beyond themselves.
More:Zionsville school board candidate says 'All Nazis weren't 'bad'' in social media post
While Keefer claims he is, “not a fan of Nazis,” it is important to note that you do not have to be a Nazi sympathizer to create conditions for antisemitism to take hold. Keefer is one of many right-wing extremists to compare recent COVID-19 vaccination campaigns to the work of the Nazi Party. While the comparison is disturbing on a number of levels, those trained in Holocaust education know that a comparison of any modern event to the execution of millions of people is both offensive and inappropriate. Keefer’s comparison of those in favor of vaccinations to members of the Nazi party may convey some distaste for the Nazi party, but it also reveals his sheer ignorance of the topic through his sweeping generalizations in reference to a complex tragedy in human history. We need leaders who are able to defer to experts in the field of education when determining policy governing our schools, and those experts should be individuals with evidence-based understandings of the world.
Last week, former president Donald Trump posted an antisemitic threat on his social media platform. It is only fitting that conservatives in local elections would fall in line. No matter his intention, Keefer’s comments, like those of Donald Trump’s, only make our community less safe for Jewish people, and in effect, all people. Over the weekend, antisemitic groups hung a banner over a Los Angeles highway stating, “Kanye was right about the Jews,” in reference to antisemitic remarks made by the rapper. These comments build momentum for discrimination against minority groups, empowering and validating the most bigoted in our society. There is no clarification or explanation that would acquit the Nazis of crimes against humanity in the past, present or future. And there is no excuse for public leaders or those who wish to be public leaders to so casually make exceptions for Nazis.
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Sadly, a Google search of “Zionsville Nazi” yields results referencing events beyond Keefer’s recent Facebook comments. In 2019, a group of Zionsville high school students appeared to perform a Nazi salute, a photograph that ultimately led to the uncovering of a website created by the teens riddled with hatred and prejudice. According to the FBI’s annual report on hate crimes, the Jewish community is the religious group most consistently targeted in the United States. We cannot disrespect the remaining survivors of the Holocaust, nor humanity, by continuing to allow those that seek and spread misinformation to have their speech elevated by public office. We must reject Keefer’s candidacy, and the candidacy of others who seek to tout extremist ideology in place of genuine tolerance and public service.
It is no mistake that candidates like Keefer overwhelmingly oppose efforts to teach children an inclusive and diverse curriculum that allows for multiple perspectives in the telling of history. According to numerous studies, students benefit immensely from the chance to discuss controversial subjects in the classroom. These studies cite improvements in critical thinking skills, civil discourse, and have positive implications for civic identity. Unsurprisingly, few of these candidates are familiar with the wealth of literature on social studies education. Or worse, perhaps they are aware, but prefer an electorate that is both confused and disempowered.
To be sure, candidates like Keefer might market themselves as champions of conservative values. But the term “values” is being grossly stretched, and used as a cover to validate extremist ideologies and divisive public policy. An individual adhering to traditional conservative values could unequivocally condemn the behavior of Nazis without exemption.
The people I interact with in the greater Indianapolis community are kind, open-minded and want the best for our school children. I ask the citizens of Zionsville to feel the weight of their civic duty in these upcoming school board elections, and for all Hoosier residents to stand up for what is right for our students and the fate of civil society this November.
Sarah Denney is an assistant professor of secondary education at the University of Indianapolis and a Public Voices Fellow of The Oped Project.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Antisemitism has no place in Zionsville schools, community or Indiana
