An elementary school in Idaho has been on the receiving end of lots of criticism this week after a group of teachers wore offensive Halloween costumes that quickly went viral. At least a dozen teachers at Middleton Heights Elementary School in Middleton took part in the costume, which included some dressed as the border wall and others as Mexican stereotypes. Those who dressed as the “wall” were photographed behind cardboard that was painted to look like bricks and the words “Make America Great Again” written out in red-white-and-blue letters. The second group consisted of several teachers dressed up as Mexican stereotypes, complete with maracas, sombreros, and large black mustaches.

'We are better than this:' Middleton teachers dress up as border wall, Mexicans for Halloweenhttps://t.co/TO3iVj1rdt pic.twitter.com/Hjxbk76GHd — KTVB.COM (@KTVB) November 2, 2018

The photos of the offensive Halloween costumes had been posted on the Middleton School District’s Facebook page but were later deleted and replaced with an apology video from district Superintendent Josh Middleton. “I was shown those photos and [was] deeply troubled by the decision by our staff members to wear those costumes that are clearly insensitive and inappropriate,” he said. “Do I think there was a malicious intent in these poor decisions? No, I don’t. Was there a poor judgement involved? Absolutely.”

Although Middleton is “not the most diverse community … that doesn’t excuse us,” he said. Almost 13 percent of the school’s population is Hispanic. Local CBS affiliate KBOI said it received several emails and phone calls from people upset with the costumes. “Unfortunately, this is the environment that children are going to school in,” one parent wrote. “As a mother to a minority child, I would be mortified if this were my child’s teacher. They should be fired.”

In the Stranger, Chase Burns, who went to Middleton Heights Elementary school, writes that he wasn’t surprised when he heard news of the costumes:

Middleton has never been shy about its racism. Throughout my childhood, I saw bald dudes with swastikas tattooed on their heads all over town—at the local gas station, outside the bar, and even buying subs at fucking Subway. Adults would whisper to me that those men were from Northern Idaho, not Southwest Idaho, which is where Middleton, Idaho is, but as the Middleton School District reminded us this Halloween season, Southwest Idaho has no problem being openly racist. I don’t think it ever has. If you are not a white straight guy, you are always aware that people are watching you.