A recent incident at Nipher Middle School in Kirkwood has ignited a community debate over the presence of a Palestinian flag in an eighth-grade social studies classroom. Concerns were initially raised during the school’s curriculum night on Aug. 14, when parents encountered the flag during a presentation by social studies teacher Jason Kipp.

What happened Aug. 14?

The display sparked a brief but significant conversation between Kipp and parent Ilana Austin, who questioned the appropriateness of the flag without a corresponding Israeli flag, especially in light of historical and current geopolitical tensions.

“I calmly approached Jason and asked if he would consider also displaying an Israeli flag alongside the Palestinian flag in his classroom, explaining that having both flags reflects our family’s support for a two-state solution and would avoid disruption for his Jewish students,” said Austin. “He crossed his arms and said ‘No.'”

Austin says she next explained that she and her daughter are descendants of Holocaust survivors and hoped he would reconsider.

“He told me, ‘That’s your version of history.’ I responded, ‘Are you calling the Holocaust my version of history?’ He said, ‘You don’t understand both sides of history.’ I said, ‘We need to continue this conversation with the principal, sir.’ He said, ‘No, ma’am.'”

After leaving the classroom, Austin shared the details of the incident with Beth Ruta, the 8th-grade level principal, who requested that Austin write down the accounts to avoid paraphrasing in discussions.

“That evening, we wrote extensive letters to our rabbi, Rabbi Amy Feder, and Dr. Ruta requesting our child be removed from Jason’s class,” said Austin. She also went online to ADL.org and filed an incident report.

The next day

On Aug. 15, Ruta contacted Austin saying her daughter would be moved to another social studies class.

“She explained that this was just the first step of a broader plan aimed at ensuring all students feel safe and secure at school,” said Austin.

Austin, also received a copy of an email sent by Feder to Ruta, offering her support to the school and the district.

“I spent a great deal of time last year working closely with the both the Clayton and Ladue districts to offer support and guidance and I’d be more than happy to be a support to you as well if you’d like,” wrote Feder. “I recognize what a challenging issue this can be for teachers, parents, and students alike, and my goal is to be an outside perspective who can bring some gentle guidance and clarity.”

Aug. 19

On Aug. 19, Austin spoke with Jordan Kadosh, the regional director of ADL Heartland, who told her the ADL would be offering services to the Kirkwood School District.

“We actually have an incident guide that’s part of our No Place for Hate program, which is quite comprehensive,” said Kadosh. “It’s designed as a whole-campus climate improvement program. The incident guide is available for free on our website and is downloadable by any school, even those not participating in the program. It covers a lot of common issues that come up and provides a playbook on how to address them.”

Austin also received a call from Ruta, informing her that Kipp went to Laura Havener, principal of Nipher Middle School, and apologized, saying he “wasn’t in the right head space” during his confrontation with the parents the night before.

“Dr. Ruta informed us that, following Jason’s apology, the proposed resolution was for us to participate in a ‘restorative circle’ to ensure we felt heard,” said Austin. “I questioned whether they were concerned about having a Holocaust denier teaching world history. Dr. Ruta replied that she doesn’t believe he’s a denier since he has visited the Holocaust Museum before. I had to reiterate that calling the Holocaust ‘one version of history’ is essentially the definition of a denier.”

In response to questions from the Jewish Light, about the incident and the proposed resolution, Steph Deidrick, the district’s spokesperson, said, “The Kirkwood School District is committed to creating an atmosphere in all classrooms that is welcoming and inclusive. In cases when families bring forward concerns, we take them seriously and approach potential conflict with a restorative lens.”

Also on Aug. 19, Austin received a call from Deidrick and Jeremy Mapp, executive director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Kirkwood School District.

“They asked again if I would consider participating in a restorative circle with Jason. I again declined the offer but expressed my willingness to assist with anti-defamation and Holocaust education,” Austin said. “They mentioned that there are ‘more conversations to come.’ I reiterated my deep concerns about having someone who denies the Holocaust teaching world history in our public schools.”

Austin says although she’s incredibly disappointed with Kirkwood’s reaction, she is happy her child is out of Kipp’s classroom and hopes that the district listens from those who are offering guidance.

“We have been in communication with a faith leader in the Jewish community to ensure we are thoughtful and collaborative,” said Deidrick. “We appreciate the engagement and guidance as we work to ensure we are operating in accordance with our mission, vision and guiding principles.”

Educator mini-lessons

In response to growing concerns about how schools address sensitive topics such as antisemitism, the ADL offers short online experiences as a practical resource for parents and educators looking to make a positive impact.

“Parents can advocate for the teachers at the schools their children attend to take a 20-minute online antisemitism lesson, which is designed to be an accessible and quick introduction to this important issue,” said Kadosh.

This quick module is designed to be the “lowest barrier to entry,” making it easy for educators to integrate into their professional development.

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