Reports of bullying and hate were made by several students and parents at a Cincinnati-area school board meeting on March 25 as the result of a controversial February vote to remove a “Hate Has No Home Here” poster.
The Little Miami school board voted 4-1 in February to remove the poster, saying it violated district policy against content “relating to sexual orientation or gender identity.” Displayed in a social studies classroom at Little Miami High School, the poster showed hands holding heart-shaped flags – the transgender pride flag, the American flag, a peace sign flag and the LGBTQ+ pride flag.
It has been removed as of March 26, the district’s communications director Brad Underwood told The Enquirer.
One board member, Dan Smith, who has since resigned after his social media posts denying the Holocaust and praising Adolf Hitler came to light, invoked Christian teachings of the LBGTQ+ “lifestyle” in arguing against the poster at the Feb. 25 meeting.
Multiple Little Miami High School students spoke during public comment at the March 25 meeting saying the poster’s removal enforces that “hate has a home” within the Warren County district. Students also said those with disabilities have been targets of harassment in the weeks after the poster was removed.
Juno Tester, a 14-year-old student, told the board, “I’m not here to change minds. I’m here to represent a community that is being silenced in both the legislature of the United States and the school district.”
“The reason for the removal of the poster also forces Christian beliefs on a very diverse environment,” Juno added.
The student pushback comes on the heels of a turbulent few weeks for the five-person board led by president David Wallace, recently accused of harassing Little Miami’s athletic director Matt Louis in a complaint filed within the district. Among those who shared opinions about the poster were several public commenters who criticized Little Miami’s school board for its lack of transparency and said the board was insufficient in condemning Smith’s antisemitic social media posts.
Smith cited the “recent attention to posts” from a Threads account linked to his Instagram account in his resignation letter obtained by The Enquirer.
Little Miami school board is about halfway through its 30-day window for appointing a new member to fill Smith’s vacancy.
‘It is obvious that hate has a home here,’ student says
Among the students who spoke out against the “Hate Has No Home Here” poster removal was Zoe Kushner, a senior at the high school.
Zoe said the poster’s removal affects students who are an integral part of the district community.
“You cite the reason for demanding its removal as having sexual concepts,” Zoe said. “What is sexual about stating that hate has no home here?”
Referring to the LGBTQ+ pride flag depicted on the poster, Zoe asked the board to what lengths they’ll go to remove related messaging.
“Would I be forcibly removed by me existing as someone represented by those flags? Should I be forcibly removed from the school? Is my existence a sexual concept that requires parental consent before my peers can interact with me?” Zoe asked.
The district’s “Parents’ Bill of Rights” policy referenced was adopted in accordance with Ohio’s House Bill 8. The legislation requires schools to notify parents of “instructional materials with sexuality content.” Removing the poster voids “logistical challenges” associated with notifying parents, Wallace previously said.
“It is obvious that hate has a home here when you destroy the symbol stating that it doesn’t,” Zoe said at Wednesday night’s meeting.
In a follow-up response to The Enquirer, Wallace said that if the teacher who displayed the sign had notified parents about the poster and provided an “opt-out” option, it could have been displayed, as could similar posters.
A parent opting out means a student is excused from “instruction that includes sexuality content” and completes an alternative assignment, the district’s policy states. Wallace did not specify what that would entail in this scenario.
Bullying, harassment reported as result of poster’s removal
Multiple students also said bullying and harassment have come about as a result of the board’s actions.
“After that poster was taken down, I think a lot of the kids at our school have … thought that it is OK to be disrespectful towards kids with disabilities,” student Ricky Hall said, describing instances where groups of students run onto school elevators to scream and disturb students using them.
“They also will come up to students who are having problems or stuff with disabilities and will be like, ‘you don’t look disabled,'” Hall said. “I have a cane (and) they have said to me I don’t look like I need it.”
Wallace acknowledged the students who spoke and thanked them for their input.
“It takes a lot for them to come up and talk and and makes (themselves) very vulnerable,” Wallace said.
When asked about reports that the poster’s removal made some students “targets of hate,” Wallace told The Enquirer, “The district remains committed to providing a welcoming environment. The removal of one poster in one classroom because it didn’t follow the notice and opt out requirements of the Parents Bill of Rights doesn’t change that.”
“The district takes all concerns related to student safety and well-being very seriously,” Underwood said in a statement. “We are committed to addressing concerns promptly, thoroughly investigating reports, and providing appropriate support to students,” he said.
Board member Wayne Siebert, the sole vote against removing the “Hate Has No Home Here” poster, said everything parents and students expressed during public comment was true.
“It was hurtful what happened when they took that sign down,” Siebert said.
Parents say district’s recent media attention is ’embarrassing’
Several commenters told the board that the poster issue has drawn negative attention on a national level.
“The scrutiny that has been brought to our community and to this board has clearly had an impact on our community,” Little Miami parent Scott Gierach said. “I’ve had clients and colleagues as far as the West Coast send me articles about what’s happening here and saying, ‘Hey, you live in Cincinnati. Do you know these guys?’ And that means something.”
The poster removal “sent a message nationwide that Little Miami does not support our children or inclusivity,” parent and alum Andrea Jackson said. “Do you know how embarrassing it is to tell people that my children attend this school when we’ve made national news for hate multiple times in the last couple of years? It’s awful.”
The 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: Students say removing ‘Hate Has No Home Here’ sign spurred bullying
Reporting by Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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