Some teachers in the Lawrence School District say they were told by officials that they couldn't set up a Memorial Day tribute on school grounds.

The teachers say they bought flags to set up a "field of honor" outside Lawrence Middle School, but the district would not allow it.

When Chris Viverito -- the son of a Marine and father of a student at the school -- learned of the district's decision, he says he planted more than a dozen flags on school grounds. As word spread around the community, the number of flags grew to more than 100.

Superintendent Gary Schall, however, says the district put out the flags.

According to Schall, the board of education put out its own flags because of a legal issue involving the funding for the flags a teacher-led club had purchased.

"It became a legal issue," Schall says. "The district was not aware where the funds came from and where they were going."

Viverito disputes the superintendent's account, citing a Facebook post from the Lawrence Teacher's Association that describes interactions with Schall.