Cheer Parents Tell Board Policy Is Discrimination

by Janice Penix

The parents of one of Clarksville’s three male cheerleaders petitioned the Clarksville School Board on Monday, March 17, asking for a recently approved policy to be rescinded, stating they believe it is discriminatory and harmful to both students and the district as a whole.

Barry Denton, whose son was a member of the junior high cheer squad this year, addressed the Board and provided members with a packet of information compiled by his wife, Stephanie, regarding cheerleading policies and procedures throughout Arkansas.

Denton said he believes the Board was not provided enough information before it voted on the policy, which is included in an updated cheer handbook members took action on in February.

“I believe your understanding of the policy was very vague,” Denton said. “I can imagine the explanation was something like this, ‘This is how we’re doing it, we’re just putting it in writing to clarify.’ I feel like it was probably very limited to you. In reality, even if that writing did reflect how you’re currently doing it, that doesn’t mean it was the right way or how it should be done.

“Basically, that policy presents a very limited personal viewpoint, of how they want it to be.”

The cheer handbook the Board approved at its Feb. 24 meeting defines a male cheerleader’s role as a participant in stunt execution, crowd engagement and performances. They act as bases in stunts, lifting and supporting flyers in the air and utilizing their upper body strength to create stability and safety in routines.

Male cheerleaders also participate in cheers, chants and sideline routines, playing a significant role by using the megaphone and/or signs to encourage crowd involvement. During performances, the handbook states male cheerleaders will kneel behind female cheerleaders while they perform dances and move to position when transitioning to stunting. Male cheerleaders also have the option to tumble during dances, at the discretion of the cheer coach.

When a team is performing a cheer for a performance, male cheerleaders can participate fully in arm motions but may be asked to keep their feet at attention.

Denton said in researching the policies and procedures that other high school cheer squads have, as well as the requirements to cheer at the collegiate level, he and his wife found no policy that was as restrictive toward male team members as Clarksville’s.

He referenced an article in the March 5 issue of The Graphic in which Athletic Director Michael Banning is quoted as stating the updated cheer handbook was the product of work by the district’s cheer coaches, in an effort to “make the policies inclusive for all team members.”

“That was at the beginning of the article, but everybody that read on in the article and read the parts to the policy were trying to figure out, what is inclusive about this?,” Denton said. “How are we actually being inclusive when we’re having the males kneel behind the female cheerleaders during the routine, or only move their upper body during chants and cheers? The policy mentions that males can use their upper body strength to create stability and safety in a routine. That’s true, OK? But it’s very sexist and biased, saying that only males can do that.”

Denton said the past few weeks have been challenging for his family, following the passage of the policy.

“The past couple of weeks have been difficult,” he said. “We haven’t intended to be difficult or stressful to anybody within the school. We’re just trying to understand and reason through the policy. We’ve thought of several explanations, just asking, what’s going on? Is it bias? I mean, we’re frustrated. And just outright discrimination is kind of what we settled on.

“We think the policy’s a giant step backwards for cheerleading.”

Denton said he hopes the Board members will read through the information he provided, and to consider changing the district’s guidelines.

“So basically it comes down to, we’re just asking you, everyone involved with this, please rescind this policy, reverse this policy,” he said. “We shouldn’t be limiting the roles of our athletes, based simply on their gender. We should be working as coaches, administrators, and board members to encourage and promote everyone to do their best and be their best, in the present and in the future.”

No action was taken on the matter at Monday’s meeting.

 

The full story appears in the March 26 edition of The Graphic, found online and in businesses throughout Johnson and Franklin counties.