Elementary school children encouraged to throw beanbags at Trump tombstone for fundraiser

There are many interpretations of "funny" — but tossing beanbags at a pretend headstone for a living president might not exactly fit into some people's definition of the word.

"Funny," however, is precisely what one parent at a Massachusetts elementary school was going for when they encouraged young students to throw beanbags at President Donald Trump's headstone at a school fundraiser last Friday.

What happened?

According to the Boston Herald, the parent of a child enrolled at West Parish Elementary School in Gloucester thought it would be "humorous" to provide the students with the politically charged game at a holiday fundraiser event.

💩Principal Apologizes For Trump Tombstone At West Parish Elementary School Halloween Party https://t.co/mB5CJOw5zC pic.twitter.com/IashlLPaQx

— † Crusader (@Wil_Johnson1) October 23, 2017

Was there much outcry?

A fair amount, yes.

In addition to put-off parents, Amanda Kesterson — who is head of the Gloucester Republican City Committee — voiced her displeasure at the incident.

"I don’t think it’s appropriate to put the sitting president’s name on a tombstone," Kesterson told the Herald. "It’s disrespectful to the office of the president, no matter who he is."

She added, "Unfortunately […] in Massachusetts in particular, where Republicans are the minority party and the president is unpopular,  I think there is a belief that joking about the president is acceptable — and it’s not."

Were there apologies?

Oh yes.

School principal Telena S. Imel wrote a letter to parents addressing the issue.

"On Friday evening, the West Parish Grade 5 Parent Committee hosted Haunted Happenings, a party and fundraiser for the West Parish Community," the letter read. "Unfortunately, however, one game brought in by a parent included the name of our president painted on a tombstone."

"While, according to the parent, this was designed to be humorous, a number of attendees rightfully felt that it showed disrespect," Imel's letter added. "It inappropriately brought a political agenda into what was designed to be a fun family affair."

Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken on Facebook shared the unnamed parent’s apology email to Imel, according to the Herald.

"I hope you truly understand that there was never malicious intent, nor political agenda," a portion of the parent's letter read. "I deeply regret the backlash that was incurred from this."