Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A South Dakota school district scrapped its homecoming football game, parade and school dance after a spray-painted a message about a rival school's Native American heritage appeared during an unofficial rally.
Students at Sturgis High School painted the phrase "Go back to the [reservation]" on a car that was ceremoniously destroyed with sledgehammers as part of a non-sanctioned homecoming event.
Sturgis was scheduled to play neighboring Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in the homecoming football game.
After video of the incident circulated online, the Meade, S.D., school board unanimously voted Friday to cancel all remaining homecoming activities and forfeit the game.
Sturgis Principal Pete Wilson apologized on behalf of the school district.
"We're going to apologize to every school district in the state, because this not only looks bad for Sturgis Brown High School, this looks bad for South Dakota," he told KELO-TV.
The school's superintendent said the district is working with police to determine who was responsible for spray-painting the phrase.
