Ignorant of Nazi Slogan?

The American school system seems to be failing:-

Nazi phrase gets football coach benched

After posting a message on players' lockers last week that was worded the same as a Nazi slogan, Maine South High School's top football coach was suspended for a game, officials said Wednesday.

Dave Inserra, 39, will sit out Maine South's homecoming game against New Trier this Saturday, Principal David Claypool said. The one-game suspension comes after Inserra put up signs saying, "Work will set you free," on the lockers of the varsity team. The German version of that phrase -- "Arbeit macht frei" -- became infamous when used by the Nazis, who posted it at the entrance to Auschwitz and at other concentration camps.

"I regret it ever happening. It was a completely honest mistake," Inserra said. "Ignorance is not an excuse. I should have checked the origin."

Inserra posts a "weekly phrase," intended as inspiration, on the lockers of his team members, he said. Often, the phrases are quotes from famous leaders, including President Theodore Roosevelt and football coach Vince Lombardi, he said. Sometimes, he makes up his own.

Inserra heard "work will set you free" during a school-wide meeting at the beginning of the academic year, he said. The speaker who used it "was talking about teaching," he said. And while some in attendance knew the phrase's origin, he did not, he said.

The phrase fit well with the varsity football team's theme for the season -- "Work hard, work smart, work together," Inserra said.

Last Thursday, Inserra posted fliers saying "Work will set you free" on the varsity team's lockers. The next day, a colleague told him, "This could get you in trouble," he said. He took the signs down immediately and wrote an apology to the entire teaching staff.

Probably played too much football himself when younger.