According to the Ithaca Journal, school officials claimed that the flag caused "ill will" among the students and "disruptions...of the educational process."

Officials warn that students who "refuse to remove or cover up images of the flag will be disciplined, probably for insubordination," the Journal says.

"'We need to shift the focus for kids back on learning,'" School Superintendent Judith Pastel said. She blamed the image for helping fuel racial animosity in the community, located in upstate New York.

This is not the first time that Ithaca schools have banned clothing in an effort to alleviate racial tensions. In 2004, the school banned children from wearing camouflage hunting clothing, claiming such clothing was "racist."

Paradoxically, the school allows African-American and Hispanic students to wear "ethnic pride" sashes at its graduation ceremonies.

Some critics may worry that Ithaca will next ban the American flag from its schools. The school boasts of having students from "wildly divergent backgrounds," and it would not be surprising to have some students argue the U.S. colors are "offensive" to their ethnic or political sensibilities.

Furthermore, such a move would not be unprecedented in the city. In 2004, the police chief reportedly ordered the American flag's removal from the department uniform.