WARSAW — A statement from the Warsaw Community School Corporation admits that students were told not to wear red, white and blue or bring an American flag to Friday night’s football game. The full statement is below:

“Warsaw Community Schools mission is to inspire and equip all students to continually acquire and apply knowledge and skills, while pursuing their dreams and enriching the lives of others. When we do not live up to our mission, whether intentional or not, it is our responsibility to rectify the situation and create paths to ensure it does not happen again. Questions arose around the cheer block’s theme of Military Armed Services Night and the messaging surrounding the events.

“Upon investigation on Tuesday after the Labor Day Weekend, there were mistakes that took place leading up to Friday’s game. Military Armed Services Night was intended to be a patriotic display honoring our men and women in the Armed Services. The color for the evening was camouflage. Our school board policy sets a dress code that DOES NOT prohibit patriotic clothing or the colors of red, white and blue.

“Statements leading up to the game stressed the theme, which included wearing camouflage, military flag and designs, and unfortunately also included some statements not to wear red, white or blue or bring the American Flag. These statements by select individual were not intended to be unpatriotic, but instead to focus the cheer block on the intended theme of the evening. It is fully understood the wrong and hurtful communication that was delivered to our students and community, and for this we sincerely apologize.

“Protocols are being put in place to safeguard against a similar situation from occurring again in the future.”