Author and journalist Alex Kershaw spoke to upperclassmen and a group of visiting French students about his research and thoughts on World War II, the Holocaust and morality Wednesday, Oct. 8.
The assembly took place in the high school auditorium during fifth period. It began with Kershaw warning the audience of the danger surrounding discrimination against and dehumanization of entire demographics of people.
“We have to stop our own prejudices from becoming more and more and more until we commit one of the things human beings are amazing at, which is killing other human beings,” he said.
Kershaw told the story of Lieutenant Colonel Felix Sparks, an American soldier who fought in World War II and played a key role in the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp.
When Sparks and his men entered Dachau, Kershaw said, they were disgusted and outraged at the death and suffering they encountered.
In retaliation, he explained, American soldiers committed war crimes against German soldiers at the camp, but Sparks stopped them and insisted they follow the U.S. Military Rules of Engagement.
Principal Jason Caudill said he first received an email regarding the opportunity for Kershaw to visit in May. A local philanthropist had offered to have Kershaw speak at no cost to the school, he explained.
Caudill said he had a basic understanding of what Kershaw was going to speak about, since he had seen him give the presentation at Dublin Jerome High School the previous Monday. Caudill added he wanted to offer the same experience at Bexley.
Social studies teacher Anna Schottenstein said Kershaw’s messaging was effective, but she was surprised by how intense it ended up being.
“I was really taken aback by how blunt the presentation was,” she said.
She thought many students went in not knowing what to expect, and she explained this may have caused some to be blindsided by the graphic content in the presentation.
Schottenstein added she thinks it’s important for students to discuss such information after viewing it in order to process and learn from it.
“Otherwise it doesn’t have the full educational impact,” she said.
Caudill said Kershaw’s presentation of Sparks’ story helped to emphasize the importance of confronting racism, which he said he thinks is a crucial concept for students to understand.
“Overall, I’m very glad he came,” he added. “I think our students responded incredibly to it.”
Published and digitized November 2025.
