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During a visit to the Utah Capitol on Saturday, Sky View High School choristers broke into song, eager to hear the sound of their voices reverberate under the towering Rotunda. A woman approached as they were exiting and handed them pamphlets of the U.S. Constitution.

Impressed with their singing, she asked the Smithfield school's choir director, Karen Teuscher, if the students, all wearing T-shirts identifying them as members of the school's choir, would sing the national anthem in front of the 200 people gathered outside the south steps of the famous domed building.

The educator quickly agreed, eager to give her two dozen students another chance to perform before an appreciative audience. What Teuscher didn't know was this crowd was gathered for a rally in support of outlaw rancher Cliven Bundy and those arrested in the Malheur, Ore., bird refuge occupation led by Bundy's sons and LaVoy Finicum, the Arizona rancher killed by police in January.

The Salt Lake Tribune's coverage of the rally mentioned that the choir's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" kicked off the event, which prompted emails from numerous parents and others to school administrators, all negative. Many were outraged the school choir would participate in a political event and interpreted the performance as an endorsement of its divisive agenda.

Administrators issued a prompt apology Monday, saying the choir had no plans or intentions of taking part in the rally, where speakers railed against federal oversight of public lands and authorities' crackdown on the Bundys and their supporters.

"Once our students sang, they left and returned home to Cache Valley. We were unaware of the rally until we received yours, and several others' emails about the event. At this point, all we can say is that we are sorry for this unfortunate circumstance and the possible negative views we may have created," Principal David Swenson wrote in an email to parents. "Our administration would not endorse this activity and our wonderful choir director Karen Teuscher would not endorse any political cause within her classroom or curriculum. However, she was at the right place at the wrong time."

This is not the first time a choir from a Utah public school has been recruited to sing patriotic songs at an event pushing an anti-federal agenda. Iron County School District officials withdrew permission for fifth-graders to sing at the Oct. 23 Western Freedom Festival in Cedar City after parents complained about what they saw as an attempt to use schoolchildren for propaganda.

The southern Utah county commissioners who organized that event said it was more a celebration of Western culture than a political event, though land-transfer champions were among the featured speakers.

Saturday's event at the Capitol was promoting an even more controversial message: that the feds "assassinated" Finicum for standing up to the Bureau of Land Management and accusing the agency of illegally dictating how ranchers can use land.

"We are here because the rule of law is not being honored and sustained. We all believe and know that the people who were at the refuge and at the Bundy ranch were obeying the rule of law according to original intent, which is what Justice [Antonin] Scalia believed in, and we are very saddened with his passing," Cherilyn Eagar, a Utah conservative activist acting as the Finicum family's spokeswoman, announced after the Sky View choir finished signing.

The choir had traveled to Salt Lake City last week to sing for residents at assisted-living centers and perform in the Hale Centre Theatre for a production of "The Pirate Queen." Before heading home Saturday, the group visited the Capitol.

"We explored the acoustics of the building for about an hour, experimenting by standing in different parts of the building, singing much of our choir literature, and listening to the awesome echo and resonance of the building. It was so magical and life-changing," Teuscher wrote in explanation of the incident, sent to parents Monday.

Meanwhile outside, the assembling rallygoers enjoyed the musical sounds coming from the building.

The students emerged as the rally was about to begin and someone asked if they would sing, according to Eagar, who said the choir's participation was spontaneous and "fortuitous."

"They're not connected with us at all," she said Monday. "I think the teacher said, 'Oh yeah, we could have them sing the national anthem.' "

The choir director told parents she should have asked questions about what the gathering was before allowing the students to participate.

"I was just (probably naively) trying to be helpful when I agreed to sing the national anthem and did not see that as an expression of support of for any particular cause or party. I do not support this group," Teuscher wrote. "... It would have been better [to] find out who the people at the rally were before agreeing to sing. I apologize for not thinking this through thoroughly."

Vice Principal Shane Jones defended the director, describing the incident as an innocent mistake.

"They passed Constitution pamphlets and there were American flags flying," Jones said. "It seemed like a patriotic thing to do. We got caught up in it."

Tribune reporter Matt Piper contributed to this report.

Tribune reporter Matt Piper contributed to this report. Brian Maffly covers public lands for The Salt Lake Tribune. Maffly can be reached at bmaffly@sltrib.com or 801-257-8713.

Twitter: @brianmaffly