Students at Vista Del Lago High School in Folsom, California, have been warned not to show too much patriotism lest they offend others.

CBS13 reports that school and district officials discussed the issue of kids chanting “USA” at school events and advised them not to do so because it could be perceived by others as “inappropriate and intolerant.” 

“To practice empathy, to practice kindness and to practice patriotism. You can do both,” said Folsom Cordova Unified Communications Director Daniel Thigpen.

The state high school athletics group California Interscholastic Federation chimed in, adding, “There’s a time and a place to yell that and cheer that.”

On Wednesday, families of students heard from the principal via e-mail that the chant could communicate “an unintended message.” She also addressed students in the morning announcements and asked them to really consider chanting at only the most “appropriate” times, such as after saying the pledge or singing the national anthem.

There hasn’t been a single complaint at Vista Del Lago High School over the chants. The entire decision was based on reports of other schools around the country where some felt the chant was used as a taunt against teams with multiple ethnicities. The district assured that there is no official ban on the chant.

One student interviewed by CBS13 was shocked when he heard the announcement:

“I wasn’t angry, but I was definitely like, ‘Why can’t we chant USA?' To say USA, you know, we’re all the same. We’re all American. It doesn’t matter what your skin tone is or where you’re from.”

A mother of a student said chanting “USA” unites the kids; it doesn’t divide.

“We are all one,” she said. “We all stand as one together.”

There is a football game this Friday night at Vista Del Lago, and students have promised there’s going to be a lot of patriotism that night. In fact, the theme of the game is USA pride.

Prepare the safe spaces. It looks like they’re gonna need them.