The Nazi Reference Reaches Hinsdale D-86

DARIEN, IL — Since last year, school boards across the country have heard their share of heated public comments. In recent months, people have compared mask mandates to Nazism. Such references were recently made at a Lyons Township High School board meeting.

Last week, the Hinsdale High School D-86 heard a Nazi reference during public comments. It was during the debate over critical race theory and district-hired "equity" consultants. The district terminated the contracts with the consultants after a controversial tweet.

Carrying a wrapped American flag, Darien resident Mary O'Dowd spoke out against the school district's curriculum. She referred to it as a "radical leftist agenda known as critical race theory, or CRT, that's being foisted upon our students today through systemic indoctrination at schools such as this one."

"You can call it culturally responsive teaching, equity, diversity, inclusion or any other politically correct euphemism you like," O'Dowd said during public comments. "Maybe some people are fooled by that."

Then she referred to two quotes from Adolf Hitler in making her argument: "If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed" and "Let me control the textbooks and I will control the state." And she also recited a quote from Russia's Joseph Stalin: "Education is a weapon whose effects depend on who holds it in his hands and at whom it is aimed."

She continued, "We the people reject CRT in our schools. We the people reject those who foist this lie upon us and our children," O'Dowd said. "We the people believe that two plus two will never equal five."

O'Dowd, who received applause from the audience, provided no examples about what she thought was critical race theory being taught in the schools. Nor have other speakers with a similar viewpoint.

The latest debate is the result of a recent retweet by Saxman Consulting's Christine Saxman, who the district hired. The retweet said, "Cops quitting because they won't get vaxxed feels like a real two-birds-one-stone situation." The since-terminated consultants were to provide voluntary training to staff.

Hindale resident Bret Conway said he has researched what students are being taught about racism. He said he had spoken with the district's director of instructional equity, Patrice Payne, calling her "nothing short of professional and responsive."

He said he has also asked his daughter, a high school senior in the district, about what she is being taught.

"To date, her daily assurances have informed me that she has not been indoctrinated by teachers' Marxist ideology. She has not been made to feel guilty or made to feel like she is an oppressor because of her skin color," said Conway, who is white. "And she hasn't been influenced to believe her country is inherently evil."

To the contrary, Conway said, the equity initiatives have benefitted his daughter in learning about racism and "painful moments in our history."

"It has allowed her to think critically about difficult issues, and quite simply, that is a good thing, not a bad thing," he said. "If someday she does inform me that her teacher has convinced her that she is an inherently racist oppressor, you'll be the first to hear from me. But don't hold your breath. I don't believe that day is coming."

He, too, received applause.