Cherry Hill Councilwoman Resigns Over Racial Comment

CHERRY HILL, NJ — A Cherry Hill Councilwoman has resigned after comments she acknowledged may have been “racially insensitive.”

Carolyn Jacobs has resigned from Cherry Hill Council after using language that was “racially offensive” in her public remarks, township officials announced.

The comments came at the June 8 council meeting, when Jacobs said “even animals know they don’t mess their own dens,” in response to looting and rioting in Philadelphia, according to the Courier Post.

“Jacobs’ comments do not represent our community’s values,” Cherry Hill officials said in a joint statement. “The mayor and the township council therefore asked for and received Jacobs’ resignation from council.”

“At the Cherry Hill Township Council Meeting on June 8, during the time allotted to comments of council, I, most unfortunately, made a remark that was racially insensitive and it has cost me great personal anguish as well as my position as an elected councilwoman,” Jacobs said in a separate statement. “I am profoundly sorry to have offended anyone. I sorely regret my words as well as the harm it may have caused in the community. I fervently hope that what I said in that moment has not permanently tarnished the years of service I’ve given to Cherry Hill as a member of the planning board and the council, hope that my verbal offense can be forgiven, and pray that the residents of Cherry Hill trust in the sincerity of my apology.”

Jacobs was on council for four years, and would have been up for re-election next year. She had served as a member of the planning board for 15 years. It is now up to the Cherry Hill Democratic Committee to submit three nominees for the vacant seat. Council will then appoint a replacement from these three nominees.

The comments come at a time of great social unrest across the country. Several demonstrations have taken place in Cherry Hill alone, most recently a Juneteenth March/Protest in which Cherry Hill Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Meloche said the school would do more to expand Black History education and show that it is an anti-racist district.

Protesters also took a knee for eight minutes, 46 seconds to symbolize the death of George Floyd, 46, after then Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Video, which captured Floyd saying "I can't breathe," went viral, and sparked nationwide protests. Read more here: Juneteenth March/Protest Focuses On Education In Cherry Hill

Five days before Jacobs’ comments, Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo and Council President David Fleisher expressed outrage over Floyd’s death. Read more here: Cherry Hill Leaders Express Outrage Over George Floyd Killing

After that Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan invited protesters to join police officers for a barbecue following their march to the police station. Read more here: Cherry Hill Police Chief Invites Protesters To Meet With Officers

Cherry Hill Council will next meet Monday night via Zoom. For instructions on how to participate, visit the township’s website.