MADISON (WKOW) -- A local middle school is left trying to fix an offensive mistake. The annual yearbook that was handed out to dozens of students on Thursday had racists phrases printed inside. Now, school officials are working to resolve the issue.
It was the last day of school at Cherokee Heights Middle School in Madison on Thursday. It meant the tradition of handing out a piece of memorabilia for students. Sixth and seventh graders received the school's yearbook, but as soon as they were taken home, school officials found out about the offensive words published inside.
One quote read,"Hitler did nothing wrong." Other racist slurs against Mexican people were also found inside the copies.
On top of the offensive phrases, some of the students at the school didn't appear in the yearbook as they were left out, according to school Principal Sarah Chaja-Clardy.
She said one staff member at the school would volunteer to make the yearbook each year, responsible for designs, content and the final editorial. But that process will soon change.
"What we really want to have is students contributing to the yearbook as well as multiple eyes on both its inception, its creation and ultimately when it does get published and comes back to the school, we want to have eyes on it as well before it gets distributed to everyone else," Chaja-Clardy said.
She also notes the offensive material found in the yearbook does not represent the school or its students.
Eighth graders did not get copies of the book because they were on a field-trip during the last day of school.
Chaja-Clardy is asking all parents whose children received the books to return them to the school. Every student will receive a new one at no extra cost.
For more on this story: http://www.wkow.com/story/35625378/2017/06/08/madison-school-to-reprint-yearbooks-after-original-publication-had-racial-slurs