MCDONOUGH, Ga. – Parents are fuming over a memo sent to teachers at Henry County Public Schools prohibiting them from displaying anything remotely religious in their classrooms.

In one of a series of reminder emails sent to district staff, administrators pointed out that teachers can wear religious jewelry, or bring a Bible to school, but cannot display a cross, Bible verses or other religious symbols in their classrooms, WSB reports.

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“You are hereby directed to remove all items which contain religious symbols, such as crosses, printed bibles, angels, bible verses, printed prayers, and biblical quotations from the common areas, hallways, classrooms, and office of East Lake Elementary School,” read the edict sent to the elementary school staff, which was published by Fox News.

“Further…religious and biblical references should not be included in notes to parents, email signature lines, or any other correspondence sent on behalf of East Lake Elementary School,” it continued. “Finally, please remember that all references to holiday parties should comply with the Henry County School District’s Policy, Procedure and Practices for Holidays.”

“That’s federal law we are abiding by,” district superintendent J.S. Hardin told WSB. “We just send out these reminders and things to be aware of and we’ve been doing that for the past two decades.”

“This is something that’s been blown way out of proportion,” Hardin told the Henry Herald. “Some people took it as we’re against Christianity or religion and that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Regardless, many parents said they would prefer it teachers could display religious symbols in their classrooms.

“I don’t have a problem with it if it’s there,” Amy Sims, parent of an Ola Elementary School student, told WSB.

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“One of the biggest problems in America now is taking God out of the schools and out of the people,” parent Lance Kelly said.

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Others sounded off online.

“This isn’t going to go over too well. This crap needs to stop,” Mark Long posted to Facebook. “This is what happens when you take God out of everything. Lord help us all!”

“And you guys wonder why there is no compassion, no love for our fellow men/women,” Hunter Tucker wrote. “It started when we allowed the government to dictate to us what we can and can’t express.”

“Totally stupidity! Continue to give in to your atheists bosses and others as well as non religious groups and the world is only going to get worse!” Rynard Watson commented. “It’s time Christians stood up and together and fight for their rights!”

“If a teacher would like to hang a cross in their room, what’s wrong with that?! One little thing in their classroom to make them feel good or have a better day…but now the 2 people who are offended make all the decisions. Infuriating!” Karen Elliott added.

Hardin contends that federal law prohibits teachers from keeping a Bible on their desk or to display other religious symbols “where there’s a captive audience,” such as a classroom, and said “nothing has changed” with school policy.

But Fox News’ Todd Starnes likened the district’s reminder to “Soviet-era religious cleansing,” something Truett-McConnell University president Emir Caner said he experienced with his wife.

“Edicts like this remind me of how my wife used to life under the persecution of Communism, how they used to stifle any religious expression whatsoever,” Caner told Starnes. “It seems the school system wishes to eradicate any form of religious expression except for their own atheist and secular views.”

Locals are gathering around the school flag pole to pray in protest to the district’s anti-religion policy on Friday, WSB reports.