A Cincinnati-area school board member has resigned after social media posts he shared denying the Holocaust and praising Hitler were brought to light.
Dan Smith, 74, resigned from the Little Miami Local Schools board in Warren County, citing “recent attention to posts” from personal social media accounts, according to his resignation letter obtained by The Enquirer.
The resignation comes just a few weeks after a rift developed on the school board because of a contentious vote to remove a classroom LGBTQ+ poster. The board overwhelmingly decided to take down a “Hate Has No Home Here” poster, with Smith invoking Christian teachings in arguing against the poster.
Smith did not return multiple calls from The Enquirer requesting comment.
“Some of those posts were wrong, inaccurate, and written without the care and thought that someone serving in public office should exercise,” Smith wrote in the letter. “I regret the offense and concern they have caused.”
Smith replied to antisemitic and pro-Nazi posts using a Threads account linked to his Instagram account.
In one, a photo describes how Hitler had promised to make Germany great again. The account replied, “And he did!!!” In another, someone posted a column arguing Israel should exist because of the Holocaust, to which the account replied, “What holocaust?”
The posts were first reported by The Buckeye Flame, an Ohio LGBTQ+ publication, which says it prompted Smith’s resignation when a reporter contacted Smith about the posts.
In his resignation letter, Smith said the posts do not accurately reflect his beliefs.
“I reject antisemitism and hatred in all forms, and I take responsibility for the impact my words have had,” Smith said.
Resignation comes after LGTBQ+ poster takedown
Smith was one of the lead advocates to remove the LGBTQ+ classroom poster, citing his Christian beliefs.
“I think when you label certain people, even Christians, as hating you because we disagree with that lifestyle, that’s a hate on your part,” Smith said. “We love people, Jesus loved people … but he didn’t love sin.”
“But he told them to go and sin no more. He didn’t condemn them, he loved them. But he didn’t leave them as they were because (of) their lifestyle,” Smith continued. “So when you label all those different rainbow things there and the trans things, you’re identifying with that and you expect us to love that and to even like it, but we don’t.”
The poster, which was on a classroom wall at Little Miami High School, depicts a group of hands holding heart-shaped flags, including the transgender pride flag and the LGBTQ+ pride flag.
School board: Posts ‘raised serious concerns’
Smith joined the board in January after being elected in 2025. He is graduate of Western Hills High School and the University of Cincinnati, according to his board biography.
The Little Miami school board accepted Smith’s resignation, saying in a statement that his posts “raised serious concerns and do not reflect the standards expected of those serving in public office.”
“Mr. Smith has acknowledged that these posts were wrong and has accepted responsibility for the impact they have had,” the statement says. “While he has indicated that the posts do not reflect his actual beliefs, the Board agrees with his decision that stepping aside is in the best interest of the district so that the focus can remain on serving our students and families.”
Board President David Wallace did not return a call from The Enquirer.
The board has 10 days to appoint a replacement for Smith’s seat.
The Cincinnati-area district last made headlines for its discussion of LGBTQ+ messaging in January 2025, when it voted down a policy that would have required teachers to take down displays not directly related to their class curriculum, like LGBTQ+ pride flags. Wallace was that policy’s main supporter, The Enquirer previously reported.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: School board member resigns after posts deny Holocaust, praise Hitler
Reporting by David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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