MCCALLA, Alabama -- Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Nowlin said he is "disappointed" by the decision taken by McAdory High School students to create and display "an offensive" football banner referencing the Trail of Tears during Friday night's game.



In a letter posted on the District's website, Nowlin said the sign was "insensitive to our Native Americans."

Nowlin then went on to reference McAdory High School Principal Tod Humphries' own apology and confirmed that the sponsor of the cheerleading squad—who is usually in charge of approving banners—is on maternity leave.

The cheerleading squad, he said, will be “disciplined,” but there is no indication as to what that will entail.

“We can use this unfortunate event as an important teachable moment,” said Nowlin in the message.

McAdory’s principal, he said, has asked the school’s Social Studies teachers to plan a lesson for all grades regarding the Trail of Tears.

(fiftyfourfortyorfight.tumblr.com)

The sign, which originally began making the internet rounds through a Tumblr blog post, reads:

"Hey Indians, get ready to leave in a Trail of Tears Round 2"

The Trail of Tears refers to the U.S. Government's forcible removal of fIndians from areas in the Southeast to what is now Oklahoma. The move came during the 1830s as part of a push to remove all tribes east of the Mississippi to the west. The Trail encompassed the relocation of the Seminole, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek and Choctaw nations.

“We apologize to all Native Americans and to any person who was offended. Our curriculum department will ensure that all students in the future have a lesson on the Trail of Tears.”

Click here to read the full apology.

Online, the sign continues to gain national attention.

A Change.org petition created by Magdiel Shiranui of Brooklyn, N.Y., had 236 supporters as of 12:42 p.m. this afternoon.

Shiranui encourages supporters to sign the petition to send a message to McAdory High School that the banner is “racist, and brutal and to take responsibility to punish those who even thought of this banner.”

On Twitter, the public continues to call attention to the sign:

Efforts to reach administrators at McAdory High School and Superintendent Dr. Stephen Nowlin were not immediately successful.