Milwaukee Public School Teacher: 'Jingle Bells' and Sleigh Bells Are Racist

Teacher Kirsta Bowman is drawing national attention after posting a TikTok video explaining that she won't let her students sing "Jingle Bells" or use sleigh bells in her class because she thinks they're racist.
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— The Heartland Post (@HeartlandPostWI) October 2, 2026

A Milwaukee Public School music teacher, Kirsta Bowman, won't permit her students to sing "Jingle Bells" or use sleigh bells in her classroom. She says they're racist.

The Heartland Post reports:

The teacher is drawing national attention after posting a TikTok video explaining why she refuses to let her students sing “Jingle Bells” or use sleigh bells.

In the video, Bowman says “For those of you unaware, the song Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells in general, were put on enslaved people so they could not escape their enslavers. And this is literally a jingle bell cuff that is meant to be worn by a kid.” (she is holding a sleigh bell in the post)

...Many historians and commentators dispute the claim that sleigh bells or the song itself should be considered racist. Critics argue that “Jingle Bells” has long been understood as a holiday song about winter sleigh rides and that claims linking it directly to slavery are either exaggerated or unsupported.

It's irresponsible for MPS to allow Bowman to teach this unsubstantiated tripe to impressionable children.