‘Suspend that principal’: High school scraps 9/11 football tribute ‘for fear that red, white & blue colors might CAUSE OFFENSE’

A high school principal in Washington State has faced online fury after it was reported students were prohibited from wearing red, white and blue to honor the 9/11 attacks at a football match for fear of causing offense.

According to radio host Jason Rantz, football players weren't allowed to don the patriotic colors at Eastlake High School in Sammamish as they might "unintentionally cause offense to some who see it differently".

After the patriotic-themed tribute was reportedly canceled "at the last minute", one student explained on Rantz's show how the decision was made as "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 we were [made] to change our theme."

KTTH 770/94.5FM also uploaded a screenshot of an email from one of Eastlake's associate principals which said she understood 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."

Furthermore, Rantz said that the principal Chris Bede, and the district’s communication director Shannon Parthemer, failed to go into specifics regarding who exactly would be offended by seeing the players dressed in such colors.

"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," said Parthemer, who told Rantz a decision was made by a still-unnamed member of staff to cancel the theme to Bede's surprise.

"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," is what Bede said to parents.

On the internet, though, as news spread of the incident, some users have been calling for his head.

"That principle should be suspended," demanded one. 

"You should be outraged. I hope something positive comes out of it on your side, like the firing of the principal," said another, after a parent took to Twitter to explain she would "be heard".

"Oh my Lord, we simply must get over the worry over the micro-aggressions. Let the sensitive go see a therapist and let the rest of society just live their lives," said a calmer head.

"Wearing the colors of our nation might offend some as we commemorate a tragedy that happened here?" a separate party asked.

"Even if you have issues with policies, beliefs, and attitudes, which I do, it was still a national tragedy that occurred and those who died should be remembered and honored."