Missouri science teacher is fired over claims he used the n-word

A Missouri high school teacher has been fired over claims he used the n-word in the classroom and called Martin Luther King Jr. Day ‘Black Privilege Day’ – but he insists he never used the racial slur and is now planning legal action. 

John Magoffin was fired last week from Harrisonville High School where he worked as a science teacher following allegations from several students that he used the racially-charged language earlier this year.  

The Harrisonville School District’s board of education voted 4-3 to fire Magoffin last Thursday, saying Magoffin had ‘violated the rules and regulations of the district’ and that it was ‘unacceptable conduct for a tenured teacher’.

‘We commend the students and parents in bringing forth their concerns to the administration so that this matter could be appropriately addressed,’ a statement from the district said. 

Following his termination, Maffogin – who had been at the school nine years – denied the allegations in an interview with 41 Action News.

‘I’ve never used that word. I never do use that word. I don’t ever intend to use that word,’ he said. 

‘I don’t regret engaging with a student on something that was difficult.

‘I’m going to pursue what’s legally right for other teachers to be able to continue to thoughtfully engage with human beings in their classroom and feel like every syllable isn’t going to be scrutinized so that one word gets them fired without question.

‘We need teachers to lean into difficult things.’ 

The decision followed a tense 11-hour public hearing last month during which the board heard testimony from six students and Magoffin made his case for why he shouldn’t be fired. 

During the hearing, which was attended by more than 100 people, multiple students alleged that Magoffin used the n-word several times in April during an AP biology class while discussing rap music. 

Duane Martin, an attorney for the school district, told the school board that students recalled the teacher using the racial slur during the classroom discussion on why the n-word could be used in rap music but not everyday society.

‘He used the phrase n-word, n-word that,’ one student testified. 

‘It was more of black people can say the word and white people can’t say the word and it’s a double standard,’ another student said of the incident. 

Maffogin insists he did not use the ‘full six-letter word’.

The district also alleged that Magoffin referred to Martin Luther King Jr. Day as ‘Black Privilege Day’ while he was teaching a physics class and that students recall him saying he would never support Black Lives Matter and racism doesn’t exist in America.

In a separate instance, the district alleged a student said Magoffin told her she couldn’t go on a walk during a break with her advisory group because she is black. 

Magoffin was also accused by the same student of being ‘fascinated’ by her hair.

He also denied the allegations during the hearing.  

Maffogin had on administrative leave since April when the allegations were first made.