Ohio teacher sues district over LGBTQ+ poster removal

The teacher claims his First Amendment rights were violated when the school board ordered him to take down a 'Hate Has No Home Here' display.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:22pm

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A quiet, cinematic painting of a solitary classroom chalkboard with the words 'Hate Has No Home Here' written on it, bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually illustrating the tension over a teacher's display of LGBTQ+ symbols.A teacher's classroom display promoting inclusivity becomes the center of a free speech battle with his school district.Cincinnati Today

A Cincinnati-area teacher has filed a federal lawsuit against the Little Miami school district, claiming his constitutional rights were violated when the school board ordered him to remove a 'Hate Has No Home Here' poster from his classroom. The poster featured various LGBTQ+ and diversity-themed flags, which the board said violated district policy. The teacher, identified as John Doe, is asking the court to allow him to put the poster back up as the litigation continues.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions over LGBTQ+ representation and free speech rights in public schools. The teacher's lawsuit argues that censoring his classroom display infringed on his First Amendment protections, while the school board claimed the poster violated policies around 'sexual orientation or gender identity' content.

The details

The lawsuit states that school board president David Wallace initially complained about the poster and took photos of it in the teacher's classroom. In a 4-1 vote, the board decided to remove the poster, which featured the transgender pride flag, the American flag, a peace sign flag, and the LGBTQ+ pride flag. The board reasoned that the display violated district policy. However, the teacher argued the poster was meant to convey a message of respect and was not used for instructional purposes on sensitive topics.

  • In the fall of 2025, Wallace visited the teacher's classroom and took photos of the 'Hate Has No Home Here' poster.
  • On Feb. 25, 2026, the school board voted 4-1 to remove the poster from the teacher's classroom.
  • On April 7, 2026, the teacher filed a federal lawsuit against the school district.

The players

John Doe

A social studies teacher at Little Miami High School who filed the federal lawsuit against the school district.

David Wallace

The president of the Little Miami school board who initially complained about the 'Hate Has No Home Here' poster in the teacher's classroom.

Little Miami school district

The Ohio school district that ordered the teacher to remove the LGBTQ+-themed poster from his classroom.

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What they’re saying

“A teacher hung a flag in his classroom for four years saying every student deserves to be treated with respect – and nobody had a problem with it until some school board members decided to make it one.”

— Josh Engel, The teacher's attorney

“I do not believe a reasonable observer would conclude (the poster's) primary purpose is to prompt discussion, provide instruction, or solicit student engagement on sexual concepts or gender ideology.”

— Regina Morgan, Superintendent of Little Miami schools

What’s next

The judge will decide whether to allow the teacher to put the 'Hate Has No Home Here' poster back up in his classroom while the lawsuit continues.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing debate over free speech rights and LGBTQ+ representation in public schools, with the teacher arguing the poster was meant to promote respect, while the school board claimed it violated district policies.