Wilmington elementary school defends slavery game

"Slavery is not a game," said Denett. "It happened to black people. It happened to my ancestors. They were slaves."

In the Underground Railroad board game called Escaping Slavery, teachers gave students a Freedom Punch Card, that reads:

"On this one, you can see pictures where they have shackles," said Denett. "This is a game that the school system is probably purchasing online for the kids to participate in, and in this day and time, this is horrifying. I don't know how other people feel about it, but I think it's terrible."

In a statement, Codington's principal said, "The purpose was to play a role to increase interest and enthusiasm for historical events. The teachers wanted to share how the people communicated and worked for change and equality in their communities."

The chief communication officer for New Hanover County Schools also provided a statement, which read, "The overall purpose was to help dispel some of the myths about slavery and help students understand that it was a horrible ordeal."