From Extremism to Education
Jeff Schoep once led the largest Nazi group in the United States. Now, he disavows the hateful views he once held and aims to combat the very movement he once heralded.
On Tuesday, February 10, ninth and tenth graders participated in a powerful assembly featuring Jeff, former leader in “the movement” formally known as the National Socialist Movement. After leaving the group in 2019, Jeff joined the Simon Wiesenthal Center to give back and teach about the things he once stood against.
As part of the district’s ongoing anti-bias work, high school students explored how influence shapes thinking, how misinformation spreads, and how individual choices matter, during Jeff’s two-period assembly. After hearing Jeff’s story, the students participated in a question and answer session. “Kindness cost you nothing – it’s free,” Jeff said to packed auditorium. “Be an upstander, not a bystander.”
The thoughtful dialogue and meaningful conversations didn’t end when the assembly ended, they continued throughout the day in classrooms and hallways, and we hope will continue for a long time to come.
Aside from his impactful work with the Simon Wisenthal Center, Jeff also founded Beyond Barriers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing radicalization and supporting pathways out of extremist and high-control movements.