The Haddonfield School District has canceled the remainder of its boysâ lacrosse season after a member was accused of using a racial slur against a female athlete from another school.
âThere is no room for hate of any kind at Haddonfield Schools and it will not be tolerated,â interim school Superintendent David. T. Lindenmuth said in a statement Friday. âIt is not who we are and it does not represent our student body.â
The incident allegedly occurred May 1 during a girlsâ track meet at Haddonfield involving teams from Sterling High School in Somerdale, Haddon Heights High School, and Haddonfield, said Lloyd D. Henderson, president of the Camden County East Branch of the NAACP. The civil rights group is also investigating.
According to Henderson, a black female track athlete from Sterling was on the track lacing her cleats when a group of white Haddonfield boysâ lacrosse team members walked by her. One of the lacrosse team members allegedly used the N-word and told the black girl âto get off his track,â Henderson said. The lacrosse team was practicing on a field surrounded by the track.
Lindenmuth said the district conducted an internal investigation, and during the course of that probe âsome issues were discovered that are completely unacceptable for this community.â He did not provide what was discovered. The superintendent said it has contacted civil rights groups and plans to hold discussions about diversity with students and hold sensitivity training for students, staff and coaches.
Haddonfield was scheduled to play Cherry Hill East Friday afternoon. Lindenmuth said the end of the season is effective immediately.