A North Carolina elementary school is under fire for suggesting that African-American “attire” consists of wearing animal prints. The controversy began when a letter was send home to the parents requesting that the children wear African-American “attire” for the school’s Black History Month celebration. The school has defended itself saying that what they meant was for the children to wear prints of animals that were native to to the continent of Africa, such as zebras, giraffes and lions. The Huffington Post reports:

A letter sent home with students at Western Union Elementary School in North Carolina didn’t sit well with parents.

The note asked students to wear “African American attire” or animal print for a Black History Month event. When it surfaced on the Internet, community members responded with widespread criticism, WSOC-TV reports.

The letter also suggests wearing “shirts with animals native to Africa,” like zebras, lions, giraffes and elephants.

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