WA teacher fired for saying 'n-word' while reading passage from 'To Kill a Mockingbird': report

A Washington state teacher said he has been fired for saying the "n-word" aloud in class while reading a passage from "To Kill a Mockingbird," a classic novel about racial justice issues in the Deep South during the Jim Crow era.

Matthew Mastronardi, a now-former Spanish teacher at Spokane's West Valley High School, overheard students discussing the book, saying that they were instructed by another teacher to skip over the "n-word." Mastronardi explained in a post on X that he disagreed with his students omitting the word, telling them that "it undermines the book's historical context and disrespects the author's intent to use accurate language."

The word "n*gger" appears numerous times in the famous novel, which is told from the perspective of a young white girl.

"A girl asked me in front of the class, 'Would you read the word?" he said, explaining to her, "Yes, I would read every word." Mastronardi, who said he was "nervous but committed," then chose to read a passage in front of his 30-student class as a "teachable moment about context and literary honesty in reading."

Mastronardi was unaware that he was being recorded by a student while reading the passage, and a few days later, the principal gave Mastronardi a verbal warning that included an ultimatum: he could either resign or not have his contract renewed. Mastronardi refused to quit; therefore, the school did not renew his contract, the teacher said.

West Valley High School claimed that his termination wasn't solely due to this incident, but did not provide other reasons, he said, explaining in the post, "There are no parent complaints, no documented disciplinary actions and I've passed every teaching evaluation."

This story was first reported on by Turning Point USA Frontlines reporter Jonathan Choe.

Mastronardi said he plans to appeal the decision at a June 25 school board meeting. In response, his brother, a fellow teacher at the school, has resigned from his position.