The n-word will be replaced or removed from the script, school officials said.
CHERRY HILL TWP. -- The Cherry Hill School District will continue with plans to stage the musical 'Ragtime' this spring, but student actors will not use the n-word and other pejorative terms in the original script.
Barbara Wilson, a spokeswoman for the district, said officials began discussing the possible removal of the language from the Cherry Hill High School East production before the Cherry Hill African American Civic Association and the NAACP weighed in on the issue.
School officials met with the Cherry Hill group last week and received a letter from the Camden County East NAACP regarding the production and the use of the racial slur.
"After a very open and productive meeting between representatives from the East staff and the Cherry Hill African American Civic Association, we confirmed the decision to remove offensive language from the enacted script," the district said in a statement provided by Wilson. "In addition, all students at Cherry Hill High School East will participate in learning activities stemming from 'Ragtime' in an effort to use our history to further expose the ugliness of racism."
Superintendent Joseph Meloche told Philly.com the n-word would be replaced or eliminated when the production begins March 10.
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Lloyd D. Henderson, president of the NAACP branch, told Philly.com that it would have been better for the district to choose a different musical. He said the NAACP was notified of the issue by a parent who had complained to the district about the language.
A letter from the NAACP group posted to the Cherry Hill United Facebook page Thursday urged parents to attend the next Board of Education meeting Tuesday.
"Parents from the community have voiced their objections to this public sanctioned racially derogatory use of the N-word disguised as 'literary freedom,'" the letter read.
The district apologized in its statement for "any negative impact that the potential inclusion of the racist language had on members of our community."
"We are thankful that we have educational leaders, student leaders, and community leaders with whom we can partner when concerns arise," the statement read.
The district said the musical's themes, including racism, provide a learning opportunity. Written in 1975, the musical is based on an E.L. Doctorow novel. It follows the lives of upper-class white, black and Jewish immigrant families in New York in the U.S. in the early 20th century.
Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.