Cheeleader Drama in Allen

[kepdawg]

Allen parents file racial discrimination claims over cheerleader tryouts 3:50 PM CT

03:53 PM CDT on Friday, May 2, 2008

By KARIN SHAW ANDERSON / The Dallas Morning News
ksanderson@dallasnews.com

Four black girls tried out for cheerleading at Allen High School this spring. None of them made it.

Now, parents have filed grievances with the district on behalf of three of the girls, arguing that they suffered racial discrimination. The girls don't want spots on the squads; they want the district to open up the closed-door tryouts to the public.

The dustup is one of many emotional disputes tied to high school cheerleading that have popped up in Dallas area high schools in recent years. To quash questions over selection bias, most schools use outside judges to evaluate each girl privately.

But in the Allen case, parents say the private selection fuels their concerns that biases go unchecked.

"There is something wrong with this process that looks like racism," said Andrea Broyard Johnson, whose daughter was cut. "Sometimes when it looks like a duck, you have to call it a duck."

Allen schools spokesman Tim Carroll declined to comment on the pending allegations. He said the district goes to great lengths to make the selection fair and has no plans to open up the tryout process to parents or the public.

"That's never going to happen," Mr. Carroll said. "It would get very complicated if you let everyone in the room."

The four girls were among 57 who tried out for 36 spots on next year's junior varsity and varsity squads at Allen High back in March. All of them were cheerleaders in Allen schools this year.

The girls were the only minorities who tried out. Thirty percent of the school's population is minority, state records show.

The district paid Spirit Event Coordinators, a national company, $300 for three judges to conduct the tryouts. Mr. Carroll said the district asked for a minority judge, but one was not available.

Each girl was assigned a number and tried out one at a time. Only the girl, the judges and the school principal or his designee were allowed in the room. The girls have seen their score sheets, but aren't allowed to see results for their competitors.

The three girls said they were used to having a black judge on the panel in years past. They said the judges appeared disinterested, distracted, and unfriendly.

Breanna Lofton, who was on this year's junior varsity squad, said she felt like the judges wanted her to leave.

"I felt like they didn't even want to pay attention to me at all," she said.

Blisse Lofton said the judges were eating, shuffling papers and looking at each other's score sheets instead of watching her cheer. All of them gave her low marks in tumbling, her score sheet shows. Two wrote that she had performed a cartwheel.

"I didn't do a cartwheel," she said.

An official from Spirit Event Coordinators declined to comment on the allegations and referred a request for the judges' resumes to the school district. The school district's attorneys referred a request filed under the state's open record laws to the Attorney General's office.

The company evaluates cheerleading and dance tryouts in 16 states. They find qualified judges from college teams and cheerleading organizations, according to Spirit's website.

The girls' parents have met with Allen High Principal Steve Payne and plan to take their case to the district's administration and, if necessary, the school board. Still, the girls said they wouldn't consider trying out in the coming years.

"I just don't want to go through this much pain again," Brianna Broyard said.

LINK (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/050308dnmetallencheer.c062e9a0.html)

[PHS Wildcats]

:(

[pancho villa]

Did they all weigh 300lbs?

[Matthew328]

Why are tryouts held in private?? I remember the whole school got to vote on cheerleader when I was in HS so if a girl screwed up real bad in her routine..well sorry for ya

[buff4life]

seems the norm today...doesn't surprise me at all

[lepfan]

When I lived in LG...that did not happen! It did not matter how good or bad you were...if you were the one and only hispanic you would make it...and if you the one and only african american you would make it. They were always afraid of being sued.

[Z motion 10 out on 2]

Touchy business cheer leading. My daughter did not make the squad as a sophomore, then made it her junior and senior years. Closed try-outs with private judges (West Texas A&M cheerleaders). I question how it is run also, but that is -- similar to judging dancing or floor routines or ice skating. Its discretionary.

[Ranger Mom]

Our school has 2 try outs....one for the student body......teachers and students vote. 10% student, 40% teachers.

Then, they try out in front of paid judges, but all cheerleader sponsors are in the room too. The judges get a 50% vote.

It seems to work well, we always have a really good cheerleading squad!

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by pancho villa
Did they all weigh 300lbs?
and have nappy hair?

[BobcatBenny]

Wow, drama and cheerleaders. Imagine that! :rolleyes:

[Blitzkrieg]

one question that comes to mind....how many white girls didn't make the team?

[kepdawg]

Originally posted by Blitzkrieg
one question that comes to mind....how many white girls didn't make the team?

"57 girls tried out for 36 spots"

"The girls were the only minorities who tried out"

So 57 - 36 = 21 - 4 = 17

[BobcatBenny]

How many judges were black?

[kepdawg]

Originally posted by BobcatBenny
How many judges were black?

Read the article!!! :mad:

0

[nobogey72]

Originally posted by Blitzkrieg
one question that comes to mind....how many white girls didn't make the team?

it WASN'T 100% of them!!!

[BobcatBenny]

Originally posted by kepdawg
Read the article!!! :mad:

0
I cannot understand how Allen or the company that provided the judges could make such a stupid mistake.

Highschool cheerleading is as much political as it is ability.

It is almost inconcievable that there were not at least ten minority kids on the squad.

There is also something wrong with only 4 minority girls trying out.

[Ranger Mom]

10 minorities??

That would be our entire squad plus 2 places!!

[BobcatBenny]

Originally posted by Ranger Mom
10 minorities??

That would be our entire squad plus 2 places!!

Well there were supposedly 36 places on the Allen squad. With an independent panel of judges, I find it amazing they were not sharp enough to consider the school representation and spirit aspects of a cheerleading squad. It should never be just about ability (very important, but not everything).

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by BobcatBenny
Well there were supposedly 36 places on the Allen squad. With an independent panel of judges, I find it amazing they were not sharp enough to consider the school representation and spirit aspects of a cheerleading squad. It should never be just about ability (very important, but not everything).

Ohh!! I guess I missed the 36 places!!

That's a huge squad! I would hate to be the cheerleading sponsor!!:crazy1:

[Buffgal]

Originally posted by BobcatBenny
Well there were supposedly 36 places on the Allen squad. With an independent panel of judges, I find it amazing they were not sharp enough to consider the school representation and spirit aspects of a cheerleading squad. It should never be just about ability (very important, but not everything).

As a cheerleader mom for 5 years, three on varsity, this is exactly right. Judges should consider the spirit aspect, the actual size of the girls (some have to be bases, some have to be flyers etc) and the school representation. It's not about getting sued, it's about putting girls out there who represent the population. The part about the judges making errors on the scoresheets(not knowing who did tumbling) makes me think that the judges were incompetent & I have never heard of that judging group. Best to go w/NCA/UCA.
IMO there should also be a rigorous standard of moral character that the girl has demonstrated in her school discipline record before they are allowed to try out. Such as requiring teacher approval, community approval. They are in front of the community all year long and many, many little girls idolize them. It's nice if they are all gymnasts and fit but It really doesn't matter how athletically talented they are. They need to be spirited and be a good rep for the school.
With all that being said, my daughter tried out for college cheerleader and for the first time experienced the political side. Having one of the highest scores but not making it because she didn't have hair extensions and she was a little too tall (she's 5'0)

[Emerson1]

You just pick the hottest ones. That's the only reason they are paid attention to anyways.

[Ranger Mom]

Originally posted by Emerson1
You just pick the hottest ones. That's the only reason they are paid attention to anyways.

:rolleyes: @ Kyle!!

You're such a guy!!:p

[BobcatBenny]

I vote for double knot!

http://www.myspaceantics.com/images/funny/fat_cheerleader.jpg

[BobcatBenny]

Any doubt as to why this fine young lady made the squad?

http://www.fattonyhateseverything.com/images/SC_Cheerleader.jpg

[Tin Cup]

I can't beleive the score is 3 to 3 LOL :D

[jimmyceatworld]

I guess I'm still not understanding what representation has to do with it. Ability should be the #1 priority (like everyone probably agrees) but they should also have good moral characters (as aforementioned).

Representation? When I was at the state b-ball tournament I saw countless schools that were predominantly white but did not have 1 one player on the team that was white. Why should cheerleading be any different? IMO the best should get the spot. Period.

[Ingleside Fan]

IMO the best should get the spot. Period.
:ditto:


Color of someones skin should not determine if they get on a team. The most qualified should get the positions.

[BobcatBenny]

Originally posted by jimmyceatworld
I guess I'm still not understanding what representation has to do with it. Ability should be the #1 priority (like everyone probably agrees) but they should also have good moral characters (as aforementioned).

Representation? When I was at the state b-ball tournament I saw countless schools that were predominantly white but did not have 1 one player on the team that was white. Why should cheerleading be any different? IMO the best should get the spot. Period.
Representation is important because cheerleaders do not just flip around. They dance, they yell, they smile, they sell ribbons, they make banners, make posters, they produce skits, are friendly to everyone, encouraging, inviting, etc.

When the entire student body is represented in the squad, then you will find that more of the student population attends and participates in school functions.

At least in my opinion.

Cheerleading competitions are a relatively new event.

[Emerson1]

Originally posted by BobcatBenny
Representation is important because cheerleaders do not just flip around. They dance, they yell, they smile, they sell ribbons, they make banners, make posters, they produce skits, are friendly to everyone, encouraging, inviting, etc.

When the entire student body is represented in the squad, then you will find that more of the student population attends and participates in school functions.

At least in my opinion.

Cheerleading competitions are a relatively new event.
What he said.

I would rather them suck at diong flips and formations and be good at decorating the school. No one watches for how good the pyramid is during the game.

[kepdawg]

I think they should just let them all be cheerleaders! 57 is just over 1% of the student body population!

[Ranger Mom]

That is why I like the way Greenwood does it with the split vote.

The 10% student vote is pretty much just a popularity contest.

The 40% teacher vote is attitude and leadership qualities.

The 50% judge votes is skill and ability.

All combined makes for a pretty darn good cheerleading squad year in and year out!

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by Ingleside Fan
:ditto:


Color of someones skin should not determine if they get on a team. The most qualified should get the positions.

I agree! I also agree with closed tryouts by qualified judges, we use UCA. Cheerleading really isn't a popularity award, the most talented should represent. Our teachers and coach constitute about 10% of the scorecard...the rest is up to the kids.

[maroonpirate04]

Once again in Texas cheerleaders on a rampage:D they surely "BRING IT":D who drop the spirit stick?

1991- CHANNELVIEW--JEALOUSY
2007- SOUTHLAKE CARROLL--GREED
2008- ALLEN--DISCRIMINATION
2009- ?

Now which school will be in the spotlight?

[BobcatBenny]

Originally posted by maroonpirate04
Once again in Texas cheerleaders on a rampage:D they surely "BRING IT":D who drop the spirit stick?

1991- CHANNELVIEW--JEALOUSY
2007- SOUTHLAKE CARROLL--GREED
2008- ALLEN--DISCRIMINATION
2009- ?

Now which school will be in the spotlight?
You forgot the most infamous.

2006 - McKinney North -- Fab 5 (Intimidation)

[BobcatBenny]

One more thing about the most qualified getting the positions.

That would mean classification positions would have to be eliminated.

Usually most squads have slots based on classification.

It would be hilarious to have a squad with no Seniors on it!

If that ever happened, the Seniors would not know who to put on the Homecoming court! LOL :thinking:

[maroonpirate04]

Originally posted by BobcatBenny
You forgot the most infamous.

2006 - McKinney North -- Fab 5 (Intimidation)

That's right i forgot all about that

[scrub c]

Something similar happened a couple of years ago down in Clute, Texas. (Brazoswood HS 5-A)

Some girls got their feelings hurt cause they didnt make the cut.

Parents got together, made some noise, next thing you know they have like 56-58 cheerleaders on the sidelines.... (some of them needed to be playing offensive line...)

Pancho, I know you remember that...

[PutMeInCoach]

If she didn't do a cartwheel, did she do any tumbling at all? If not, then I can see why she wasn't picked.