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Cherry Hill School Administrator Terminated After 'Gorillas' Email

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Cherry Hill school board has voted to terminate a school administrator who compared public works employees to gorillas.

School board president Seth Klukoff told the Courier-Post of Cherry Hill that facilities director Kevin Larson was fired. Klukoff said the board continues to negotiate with him, although Klukoff did not say what the talks are about.

Mayor Bernie Platt and others were outraged Larson sent an email on Jan. 28 to a principal who wanted help removing snow from a school.

Larson said he couldn't spare anyone. He wrote, "All of my polar bears, trained seals and the two silver back mountain gorillas on loan from the township" are unavailable.

Many of the township's public works employees are black.

Larson later apologized.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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