Teacher fired for racist email during gaming chat with colleagues

A special education teacher at Kennedy Middle School has been sacked after sending a racist message using her school email. The incident took place during a gaming chat with colleagues, sparking outrage among staff and officials. The Kankakee County School District 111 Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate Ksenia Matson on Wednesday evening.

The offensive post was shared internally among teachers during report card pickup at the school. It referenced the phrase 'the ten little N-words' in a gaming thread, though Matson later claimed it was not meant for students. Despite her attempt to resign, the board rejected it and chose to formally dismiss her instead.

This marks the second time in recent years that a staff member at the school has used a racial slur. In 2023, another teacher was fired for directing the same slur at a high school student during class. Superintendent Teresa Lance condemned the latest incident as 'inexcusable' and deeply offensive to both staff and pupils. The school board has now announced new measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Officials stressed that such language has no place in staff communications, regardless of the intended audience.

Matson's termination follows a clear pattern of disciplinary action against racial slurs within the district. The board's decision ensures her dismissal remains on record. Meanwhile, the school is reinforcing policies to address inappropriate conduct among employees.