A teacher in Washington state, Matthew Mastronaldi, stated that he was fired for reading a passage from “To Kill a Mockingbird” without censoring the N-word.
Mastronaldi, who teaches Spanish at West Valley High School in Spokane, was filmed reading from Harper Lee’s classic novel that addresses themes of racism and injustice in the Deep South during the Jim Crow era.
In a post on Long X, he explained that he aimed to create a “teachable moment” regarding the importance of context in literature. He recounted a student’s reaction, saying, “We have to skip the N-word,” prompting him to emphasize his viewpoint on maintaining the integrity of the text.
He expressed his surprise and disagreement, remarking, “It’s ridiculous. It undermines the historical context of the book and disregards the author’s intention to use the exact language,” he recalled.
When a girl in his class asked if he read all the words, he confirmed, “Yes, I read all the words.”
Unbeknownst to him, his reading was being recorded. Mastronaldi admitted feeling “a tense but committed” resolve to read that particular passage, describing it as a straightforward teaching opportunity.
Shortly after, he received a verbal warning from the principal, followed by an ultimatum to resign or face non-renewal of his contract.
After refusing to resign, Mastronaldi reported receiving a notice of non-renewal instead.
Mastronaldi maintained that the decision wasn’t solely about the book, but asserted that school officials refused to provide any specific reasons.
He mentioned that he has a final opportunity to appeal to the school board on June 25th.
The novel itself centers on racism and injustice, telling the tale of a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, and it features the N-word multiple times throughout.
The post reached out to West Valley High School regarding Mastronaldi’s situation but did not receive an immediate response.
