The Diocese of Colorado Springs, Colo., said it “does not oppose” a decision by some local public schools to ban rosaries from being worn as an accessory on top of students’ clothing.

The diocese said every student has a right “to openly wear religious jewelry including bracelets, necklaces and rings displaying crosses, crucifixes and other symbols of religious faith.”

But it acknowledged school districts must be able “to regulate clothing and other items that have been misappropriated as symbols of gang affiliation.”

The diocese said that because some local gangs are using rosaries as a symbol of their gang affiliation, it doesn’t oppose the school