Holocaust, “Ohio,” and “Sigma” Among Words Banned by Iowa Teacher
An Iowa history teacher is facing criticism after banning students from making “Nazi or Holocaust references” and prohibiting the use of a number of trending words, such as “Hawk Tuah,” “Ohio,” and “Sigma.”
The teacher, Leah Elyse Ingraham — a 7th-grade teacher in the Fremont Mills Community School District — came under scrutiny after a concerned parent reported the banned words list to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
Founded in 1999, FIRE advocates for individuals whose First Amendment rights have been violated, including students. The organization expressed concern that Ingraham’s policy infringes on her students’ freedom of speech.
In a letter sent to the school’s principal on Tuesday, Aaron Terr, an attorney and the Director of Public Advocacy at FIRE, urged the school to take down the list of banned words. The teacher has punished at least ten students so far, FIRE tells Liberty Affair.
“We understand schools have a legitimate interest in preventing classroom disruptions, but that does not justify categorically banning a long list of words, phrases, and references— including ordinary words like ‘Ohio’ and ‘chat’— without regard to context,” said Terr.
Image Courtesy of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
FIRE, one of the nation’s foremost free speech nonprofits, has worked on nearly 1,200 cases and boasts over one million social media followers.
While the Supreme Court has upheld some restrictions on disruptive speech in the classroom, Terr points out that most of these words do not meet the legal threshold necessary to restrict the students’ speech.
“Nazi and Holocaust references are similarly not per se disruptive,” he says.
Michelle Corbett, Media Director for Mothers Against Campus Antisemitism (MACA), told Liberty Affair that the context is important here. MACA, which advocates against anti-Jewish ideology on college campuses, recently hosted their inaugural rally.
“Calling someone a ‘Nazi’ is bad.....so I could see it banned in that context,” Corbett said, noting that she had “no clue” how the Holocaust could be used in slang.
“If Leah Ingraham is responsible for teaching history and is inadvertently leaving out teaching about the Holocaust then how is she properly explaining world history during WW2?” she asks, adding that it’s unclear because the teacher has declined to clarify her intentions to the media.
“This is just a further example of teachers and college professors editing what they teach to accommodate their own beliefs while ignoring facts. It's not okay and has gotten wildly out of control,” Corbett said.
Ilan Sinelnikov, President of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Students Supporting Israel, expressed dismay over the list of banned words. His organization works internationally to promote a pro-Jewish and pro-Israel perspective in education.
“You won’t be able to teach history if you ban Holocaust and Nazi references. And if you can’t teach history and put things into perspective, ‘never again’ won’t be never again.”
Toni Airaksinen (@Toni_Airaksinen on X) is a journalist living in Delray Beach, Florida. If you want to stay on top of news regarding college antisemitism, please follow her on Substack, Twitter or Instagram.
