Posted on 06/21/2013 7:10:00 AM PDT by Morgana
“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”
This inspirational statement has been taken to heart by many in disabled communities for its uplifting and liberating spirit. Unfortunately, Marion County’s Elgin High School is not taking it to heart.
It is to the school’s great shame that Allison Williams, a fourteen year-old student with Down Syndrome, was barred from its cheerleading squad. Rather than espousing a can-do, positive attitude, Elgin’s non-competitive squad, which doesn’t do tumbling or pyramids, told Alli’s parents that “even with accommodations she would not meet the minimum criteria to be a cheerleader.” Furthermore, even if spots remained open after try-outs were completed, Allison would still be denied a place on the squad.
Yet Allison loves cheerleading, and her mother says that it benefits Alli, allowing her to watch and learn from her peer cheerleaders.
Glee actress Lauren Potter portrays Becky, a cheerleader with Down Syndrome. (right)
In an age when a young woman with Down Syndrome portrays a high school cheerleader on the popular television show Glee (which also takes place in Ohio), it seems rather backwards and sadly ironic for an Ohio high school to deny Alli the opportunity to learn and grow while performing an activity that she loves. To the great credit of Ohio’s young people, Alli is finding plenty of support from other cheer teams.
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If a bad attitude is disabling, a positive attitude is enabling. Love and passion are the things that motivate us to achieve the unthinkable. And if Alli has a passion for cheerleading, denying her the opportunity to live out that passion on a non-competitive cheerleading team would seem to be truly disabling.
But whether Alli is eventually offered a place on the squad or not, she should keep her spirits high, maintaining strength through a positive attitude. Elgin High School needs to readjust its attitude to a positive, enabling one. It only cripples itself in assuming a bad attitude towards Alli.
Do members of the football team vote to see who makes the cut?
If the school method of choosing a cheerleading squad was to run a cheerleading squad popularity contest (passed down from year to year, I suppose, like a college fraternity?) and there weren’t any liability issues for the school, then I’d say you were right.
I didn’t read anything about that being the usual process that was thwarted here.
It’s described as a non-competitive squad that doesn’t do the acrobatic and gymnastic routines. With no qualifications, how do they disqualify someone?
My 16 year old daughter was diagnosed with a movement disorder this past year, writer’s cramp (focal dystonia) and tendonits. It’s affecting her ability to write and type. It may be spreading to her legs. If so, she’ll be in a wheelchair.
It’s been very difficult at school because my daughter is brlliant. How does she show she knows the material? Before this happened , she had a 4.3 in all honors classes.
It makes you change your perspective on things.
This is all about looks. Period.
which Doc are you seeing as tendonitis spreading, never heard of that nor does focal dystonia spread.
there is always different circumstances but the problem is this girl has done nothing and yet gets rewards and why on earth should she always be in line first , get all A’s.
Hope your girl is better
The article stated that this child did not meet the requirements. Other girls didn’t meet them either. The article also claims that open spots would go unfilled. This means that all the other girls who didn’t make the squad will also be left out. This is not an issue, it’s parents being attention whores and demanding special privileges.
Your daughter’s issues are quite different from this situation. Creating her own work while having the accommodation of an aide to record her own work is not the same as this girl not having the abilities to make the squad. I’m a big fan of chiropractic and non-medical remedies. If you haven’t looked into this it’s worth a shot. Good luck.
We received death threats when certain well know people's kids did not make the team or were benched for missing practice.
At the time I was a 240 pound bodybuilder which pretty much eleviated all problems at games when the cheerleaders dads met me at games.
Unlike the high school, The university policy was that if your parents called the coaches, you were off the team. Time to be an adult and address your own issues.
Best day ever was when she call it quits on both squads.
“Do members of the football team vote to see who makes the cut?”
There might be a few schools that do that. I seem to remember some ESPN features where the players voted to make the disabled kid an honorary member of the team, and include them in much of the team activities. And there are some instances where the ‘player’ got into a game for a play and both teams cooperated to make it a memorable moment for the kid.
And how about those teams where the coach has a no-cut philosophy?
Today’s kids look at this stuff differently than our generation did; they try to be more inclusive while we looked at it solely as an earned accomplishment. Both approaches have their merits. I, for one, like how today’s kids take it upon themselves to make disabled kids feel more welcome.
Seesh, what low expectations this student has on him or herself.
Why settle to be a cheerleader, why not demand to be on the team instead?
“the opportunity to try out like everyone else, yes. but not automatic inclusion if she can’t make it. “
Oh please!! Let her stand there and hold the megaphone!! Like they made boy cheerleaders do in the 1950’s!!!
I was a Special Olympics coach for quite a few years and we had to be very careful with our Down Syndrome athletes due to the high incidence of a condition called atlantoaxial subluxation...basically a problem of too much flexibility between the first and second cervical vertebrae. Many of our swimmers started races from a position in the water rather than diving off the blocks. The article doesn’t mention if she had been cleared by her physician for this type of activity - even though she might otherwise be strong enough to participate.
I was a Special Olympics coach for quite a few years and we had to be very careful with our Down Syndrome athletes due to the high incidence of a condition called atlantoaxial subluxation...basically a problem of too much flexibility between the first and second cervical vertebrae. Many of our swimmers started races from a position in the water rather than diving off the blocks. The article doesn’t mention if she had been cleared by her physician for this type of activity - even though she might otherwise be strong enough to participate.
“In an age when a young woman with Down Syndrome portrays a high school cheerleader on the popular television show Glee...”
Sorry, when you appeal to “Glee” as justification for anything, you automatically lose my support. Just one of those rules that needs to be in place for the greater good.
I think it’s great many kids today are more accepting of disabled people. But there is limit to killing with kindness.
There is a huge difference between making someone an honorary member at the kids behest and adults using both the disabled kid and manipulating the team. Which is exactly what it is when you have football teams suit up a kid in full pads, put him on the field and the opposing team lets him pretend to make a touchdown.
Especially when his touchdown counts toward the actual record, the kid thinks he really scored and everyone lies to him about.
Personally I think we should make “some” allowances to help kids like this in whatever way will help them. But can you seriously believe the adults in that room are doing it for the kid to begin with? I do not see how this helps them learn anything positive. There are plenty of ways to help build self worth and help develop skills/accomplishment. But lying to someone to benefit the liars ain’t it.
There are pep squads, there are jobs helping the team directly et all. All things disabled kids CAN and DO accomplish, giving them a REAL sense of purpose. And the team aren’t just faking it all. They are really doing it. And the kid KNOWS they really are part of the team.
And not a single person has to lie to make all those good things, real things, happen.
Disappointment is a part of life for the disabled, the differently abled, the non abled and the fully and spectacularly abled. We all need to find our place in the world and make it on the abilities we actually posses.
Or you become a democrat in training.
We’re afraid it’s not focal dystonia. It could be early-onset generalized dystonia. Most children have tht, and it does spread. It just usually starts in the legs and then spreads to the arms.
What I didn’t like about the artcle is they said she wouldn’t be on the cheerleading team even if there were spots open. I don’t think she should beat anyone to be on the team, but if there are spots they should accomodate her.
How about girls who are all of those things at the same time?
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/UnTunes:Patty_Duke_Show_theme
Regards,
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