SLATON, Texas – Students at Slaton and Idalou high schools in Texas are professing their patriotism together this week after an incident at a basketball game prompted charges of racism.

Student leaders from the two schools held a press conference in Slaton on Monday after meeting the night before to discuss a recent girls basketball game in which Idalou fans and students chanted “USA! USA! USA!” after beating Slaton.

The chant prompted charges of racism from school administrators because Slaton students are predominantly Hispanic.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

Idalou Superintendent Jim Waller issued a written and in-person apology to Slaton, and students from both schools got together over the weekend to come up with a way to diffuse the situation, Lubbock Online reports.

“Although we are fierce competitors, we are joined together by our patriotism and love for America,” according to a joint press release. “In this time of conflict, we as student leaders have come together to heal wounds, mend fences and move forward as one.”

The students resolved to gather at half-court when the two schools square off again Feb. 6 to chant USA together after the national anthem. The students also decided to exchange the American flags flown over the schools and to make a joint donation to the Wounded Warrior Project in the name of both schools, according to the news site.

“We talked about, what are the good things that can come of it?” Waller told Lubbock Online. “The good things are, we can show our unification and patriotism.”

Idalou student Bailey Conklin said the USA chant wasn’t meant to be racist to begin with, but students learned “we can change the way this is viewed,” she said.

“It was just a joke” that started when the played a Canadian high school, she said, “and it was a tradition that carried on throughout the games with no motivation.”

MORE NEWS: How to prepare for face-to-face classes

Regardless, Slaton student Annjanette Briseno said students learned “we’re all USA,” and “Chanting USA shouldn’t be negative.

“It should always be positive,” she said.

“I think our students have demonstrated today and yesterday that their acceptance and appreciation for each other transcends sports,” Slaton assistant superintendent Chris Smith told Lubbock Online.

Smith said that since word got out about Slaton’s concerns that the USA chants were potentially racist, the district has received negative messages that the district is un-American, which he said isn’t the case.

“That was probably the most hurtful thing to come out of this, the attacks from afar, not even from our own backyard, questioning our loyalty to the United States and our loyalty to this country, when, as I’ve said before, Slaton has sent sons and daughters to serve in the military, and some didn’t come back,” he said.

“That’s something that hurts.”