Trump-themed football banner at Kentucky school riles critics

A high school football team in Kentucky broke out a political playbook of sorts over the weekend — by tearing through a banner that read, “Make America Great Again, Trump Those Patriots” ahead of its homecoming game.

The red, white and blue banner at Anderson County High School in Lawrenceburg, where the Bearcats took on the Lincoln County High School Patriots, turned heads late Friday just before the team took the field, video posted by the school shows.

The crowd cheered as the players burst through the oversize sign, held by cheerleaders, as smoke billowed from beneath it. But some who spotted the 41-second video posted online questioned whether the politically themed rally sign was appropriate at the 1,100-student public school about 25 miles west of Lexington.

“Insensitive at the very least,” one woman wrote. “Are there not minorities at the school? Does the ACHS administration not think about those students & their families? School is supposed to be a safe place & separate from political commentary.”

Another critic said the banner should serve as a “teachable moment” for the cheerleaders at the school, who were also praised by others for the “excellent thought” they put into the message.

“Kudos for them!” one woman wrote.

Another man whose daughter apparently attends the school defended the sign as a witty turn of phrase.

“This wasn’t a statement to persuade folks in an upcoming election — it was a play on words — and cleverly done,” the man wrote. “The issues that some have are clearly rooted in their disdain for OUR President. Lemme break it down for the haters … He’s the President.”

The sign wasn’t a form of political indoctrination, according to the supporter, but the result of students giving a nod to the commander-in-chief.

“That’s all, move along, nothing to see here,” the comment continued. “Keep on Trumping!”

But other commenters, including former Anderson County students, said the banner missed the mark by a wide margin.

“Teachable moment for the cheerleaders,” one post read. “Did anyone talk to the cheerleaders about [how] this administration is taking funding from public schools and that wants charter schools to take the place [of] public schools?”

A message seeking comment from school and district officials early Monday was not immediately returned.

The Bearcats, meanwhile, lived up to the hype behind the sign and beat the Patriots, 28-14, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.

An attorney for the school district said in a statement, provided to The Post by the district superintendent, the banner was intended to spurn any political view.

“Read literally, the banner suggested the way to make America great again was to have the hometown team win its homecoming game, rather than having anything to do with the goings-on in Washington, D.C. To our knowledge the involved students took the banner language in the spirit intended as stated above, while apparently numerous adults did not. No disciplinary action is warranted against anyone involved in this banner matter,” the statement read.