Niles Township D219 Board dismisses teacher for comments deemed inappropriate

A teacher at Niles West High School in Skokie has been dismissed from his job after Niles Township High School District 219 investigated comments he made to a student on May 11, according to documents received through a Freedom of Information Act request. Officials said the teacher violated multiple Board policies.

According to district records, a Board inquiry found that Nathan Gray, a white English teacher who had been at Niles West for more than 25 years, encouraged a Black student to change the topic of their persuasive essay assignment to "the N-word." Gray had previously received a warning letter in 2021.

Following what district officials described as a "thorough review of the facts and evidence," administrators concluded Gray's conduct in talking to the student on May 11 violated multiple Board policies governing professional conduct, according to a “notice of recommendation for dismissal” letter addressed to Gray and dated June 5.

These policy violations included: "failing to maintain high standards" in job performance, "failing to assure that the learning environment is characterized by respect and equal opportunity," regardless of race or color, "failing to maintain professional relationships with students," "failing to provide equal educational opportunities to students" based on their race or color and causing "psychological harm to a student" because of statements made regarding their race and color, the dismissal letter stated.

A District 219 spokesperson did not respond to a Pioneer Press request for comment regarding the student’s identity or whether the student reported the incident to any school administrators or officials. Gray also did not respond to a Pioneer Press request for comment regarding his termination.

According to the dismissal letter, Gray submitted a formal response and statement of facts timeline to the district in response to their investigation, which was included in the district’s review.

District officials also determined the incident violated the terms of a disciplinary warning issued to Gray by the Board on Dec. 10, 2021.

That "Notice to Remedy" warned Gray to "refrain from making inappropriate racial comments/remarks" and to "treat all students with respect and dignity," per district records.

Gray received the 2021 warning in part for an "inappropriate comment" he made "regarding race, specifically towards Black students," the Board dismissal letter said.

The document also states that during Gray's due process hearing in the past few weeks, he stated that he did not believe his conduct on May 11 violated his Notice to Remedy warning because the comment "did not occur in class but during homeroom."

In his formal response letter to the allegations, Gray described his previous conduct from 2021 as "reading a historical Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote aloud from a school approved book," the Board dismissal letter said.

“This mischaracterization displays a complete lack of awareness of the severity of your prior conduct," the Board wrote to Gray on June 5.

"Your actions on May 11, 2026 directly violated the terms of the Notice to Remedy issued to you on December 10, 2021."

At the June 9 District 219 Board of Education meeting, Board members unanimously voted to approve a resolution to dismiss Gray from his teaching duties, effective immediately.

In a statement to Pioneer Press on behalf of the district, Board President Amber Wood wrote that "personnel actions are never taken lightly here at D219," but declined to comment further on the incident, citing confidentiality reasons.

Several colleagues and Niles West students attended the June 9 Board meeting to express their support of Gray.

Ethan Machaya, a former sophomore English pupil of Gray's, described Gray as an "excellent teacher," someone who was "very willing to help you in any way that he could." Machaya, a 2025 graduate of Niles West, said Gray asked him to speak on his behalf at the June 9 Board meeting, following direction from the teachers’ union to reach out to former students and their parents.

According to the dismissal letter, Gray is entitled to request a hearing regarding his termination within 17 days of receiving the notice of charges.

D219 officials did not respond to a Pioneer Press request for comment as to whether or not Gray is or will be seeking a hearing or litigation.

Students from all or portions of Skokie, Niles, Morton Grove and Lincolnwood attend District 219 schools.

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