Students were banned from honoring the victims of 9/11 by wearing red, white and blue as a tribute at a high school football game because some people could find it 'racially insensitive'.
Eastlake High School in Sammamish, Washington, canceled the theme 'at the last minute' after a complaint was made by an unnamed staffer.
Pupils, who were not even born at the time of the 2001 attacks, wanted to commemorate the tragedy at the Patriots Day-themed game on the day before its 20th anniversary.
Pupils, who were not even born at the time of the 2001 attacks, wanted to commemorate the tragedy at the Patriots Day-themed game on the day before its 20th anniversary
The match against Rainier Beach had previously been canceled and rescheduled to take place Friday.
Some students still attended the game wearing red, white and blue but the school did not officially endorse the tribute.
In an email obtained by the Jason Rantz Show on KTTH, the school principal said wearing red, white and blue could 'unintentionally cause offense to some who see it differently'.
A student told his show he was informed the 'red, white and blue was going to be seen as racially insensitive and may affect people in a way that we will not understand and for that reason that we were to change our theme'.
In a leaked email, one of the school's associate principals told a parent she understands the 'sacrifice and values our flag represents, but I think they [school leadership] just did not want to unintentionally cause offense to some who see it differently'.
Eastlake High School (pictured) in Sammamish, Washington, canceled the Patriot's Day-themed game 'at the last minute' because of the tribute
The school's principal Chris Bede did not explain why anyone might be offended by seeing the colors at the game.
Shannon Parthemer, the district's communication director, said: 'Since it was not a home game, there was no opportunity to have an announcement about Patriots Day and to share why students were dressed in red, white and blue.'
Bede was allegedly taken 'by surprise' about the decision to call off the theme, according to the radio station.
It was reportedly made by an unnamed staff member.
The principal told parents: 'I do want to clarify that schools do not have a right to ban students from wearing anything as long as it is not lewd, vulgar etc.. And the theme of red, white and blue definitely would not fit into that category.'
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