Kansas City area teacher who used racist language in class loses job, school board rules
A Harrisonville high school science teacher has been terminated after students testified that he made several racist comments in the classroom.
Harrisonville School District’s board of education held a closed meeting Wednesday evening and announced its decision regarding John Magoffin’s employment Thursday.
“The Board concluded that Mr. Magoffin’s use of inappropriate language violated the rules and regulations of the District and was unacceptable conduct for a tenured teacher in the District,” the school district said in a statement. “We commend the students and parents in bringing forth their concerns to the administration so that this matter could be appropriately addressed.”
Attorneys for the district and Magoffin presented their cases on June 15 during a public hearing that lasted nearly 12 hours, ending at about 4:40 a.m.
Magoffin was placed on administrative leave on April 20 after several complaints surfaced.
During the hearing last month, Duane Martin, an attorney for the district, alleged that Magoffin used the n-word during an AP Biology class, made disparaging remarks about the Black Lives Matter movement and females who wear leggings, and referred to Martin Luther King Day as “Black Privilege Day.”
Principal Mark Wiegers testified that the school’s investigation concluded that Magoffin had used inappropriate language. Superintendent Paul Mensching testified that he thought termination was the appropriate action.
Six students testified that Magoffin used inappropriate language in their classes.
Magoffin’s attorney Jean Lamfers said her client was discouraging the use of the racial slur and that teenagers may exaggerate their claims.
Magoffin testifed for more than an hour, refuting the claims made against him and denying that he used the n-word.
“I genuinely have a hard time with that word,” he said.
He also said he had no recollection of calling MLK Day “Black Privilege Day.”
Lamfers has not returned a voicemail left for her Thursday afternoon.
This story was originally published July 1, 2021 at 12:41 PM.
