The ritzy Latin School of Chicago is being plagued by another antisemitism controversy, this time involving middle schoolers learning a marching song synonymous with the Nazis, The Post has learned.
Students at the Windy City private school — an elite institution where Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker sent his children and middle school families shell out over $47,000 in tuition — had been practicing the song “Erika,” a German marching song widely associated with Hitler’s Third Reich during WWII, a letter from the school to parents revealed.
A teacher overheard two students discussing practicing the taboo tune, leading the institution to launch an internal probe, the letter read.
The same song was shockingly belted out by members of the middle school band in November 2024, in a horrific blow to Jewish families who felt their kids’ well-being was threatened by Latin’s notoriously toxic environment. The punishment faced by those band members is unknown.
The lyrics of the song, originally published in 1938, do not explicitly reference Nazism, although it features a rhythm common to military marching common with Hitler which leant itself to use during WWII.
“Latin does not tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hate. In addition to undertaking disciplinary action, Latin has and will continue to offer support to any students affected by this incident,” the letter from Head of School Thomas Hagerman and Interim MS Division Director Kathleen Meade read.
“Although we are deeply disappointed by this incident, we hope that it serves as an important reminder of our shared responsibility to continue nurturing our School’s strong sense of inclusion and belonging, and to ensure that every member of our community feels safe, valued, and respected,” the statement read.
Whether punishment was doled out was not immediately clear.
Back in 2022, the school faced a $100 million lawsuit from the parents of Nate Bronstein, 15, who was allegedly bullied at the school so severely that he committed suicide. The lawsuit was tossed out in March 2025.
Latin School of Chicago boasts some notable alumni, including Nancy Reagan and chewing gum heir William Wrigley Jr. II.
The school did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
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