A small town in Upstate New York stands divided after their high school's decision on Wednesday to broadcast the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic. It was meant as a way to celebrate National Foreign Languages Week--each day, the announcements and pledge at Pine Bush High School would be recited in a different tongue. However, the outrage it caused in some students and parents quickly forced administrators to issue an apology and a promise to henceforth only recite the Pledge of Allegiance in English. Now, lines have been drawn in Pine Bush (pop. 1,600) as some students and teachers are outraged that an apology was issued at all while others applaud the decision and say the pledge should never have been recited in a language other than English. Scroll down for video . Outrage: Pine Bush High School in Upstate New York celebrated National Foreign Languages Week by reading the pledge in different tongues and caused outrage Wednesday by reading it in Arabic . School Superintendent Joan Carbone told the Times Herald-Record the controversy has 'divided the school in half.' 'Something that was supposed to be good but turned out not to be,' Carbone admitted. The attempt at teaching a lesson in multiculturalism caused a backlash almost immediately. The Herald-Record reports that the broadcast by student assembly president Andrew Zink was 'greeted by catcalls and angry denunciations in classrooms throughout the school.' By Wednesday afternoon, Principal Aaron Hopmayer had apologized in a schoolwide announcement. The school would also soon post an apology to its website. 'The intention was to promote the fact that those who speak a language other than English still pledge to salute this great country,' the statement read. 'We sincerely apologize to any /students, staff or community members who found this activity offensive. In our school District the Pledge of Allegiance will only be recited in English as recommended by the Commissioner of Education.' 'It's the right thing to do': Student assembly president Andrew Zink did the reading and says he would do it again. However, administrators were quickly forced to apologize . Students came out both against the reading and against the backlash as Superintendent Joan Carbone said the controversy had 'divided the school in half' Though he didn't make the decision to make the day's announcements in Arabic himself, according to TWC News, Zink says he was perfectly okay with reading the Arabic script for the day, though he knew it would be controversial. 'I knew exactly what would happen,' he told the Herald-Record. 'I knew many wouldn't support it.' That includes many of the student politician's constituents at Pine Bush. 'Here's my issue. You made the decision to turn the school against itself, a move you knew would make Pine Bush look bad,' student Alan Bavolar tweeted to Zink. Student Alex Krug also opposed the recitation. 'It's the Pledge of Allegiance, we're saying it to the American flag. I think it should be said in English. It is foreign language week but we don't even offer Arabic in Pine Bush High School,' he said. Others supported Zink's decision and were appalled by the backlash, like senior Miranda Monroe, who tweeted: . '"I go to Pine bush but I'm not racist" *Me introducing myself to new people*' Despite all the controversy, Zink won't apologize for his decision to read the pledge in Arabic. 'It's the right thing to do,' he said. Zink was bombarded online by his detractors and his supporters Wednesday but says he supports what was initially a gesture of multiculturalism . . .
Pine Bush High School in Upstate New York celebrated National Foreign Languages Week by reading the pledge in different tongues . Administrators were forced to apologize after the reading in Arabic stirred outrage in some parents and students . The pledge will henceforth only be read in English, officials said .