Parents, students upset with New Jersey school’s new ‘inclusive’ cheerleading policy

WBS ^ | 6:50 , May 10, 2018

[Kickass Conservative]

I guess the bragging rights about dating a Cheerleader in High School won’t have the impact it once had.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Always a good argument for merit based squads.

Our school (where I was a teacher for many years) used a system where a group of highly coordinated students made the cheer leader squad. A second group made the song girls squad (I know, it seems like girls were the only ones in this group, and they were universally attractive) and finally anyone who wanted made the Pep squad. This last catch all group was inclusive and included anyone who wanted to support school athletics. They all had sweaters or other outfits in school colors and we got away with this system for years. I don’t know what would happen now.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Always a good argument for merit based squads.

Our school (where I was a teacher for many years) used a system where a group of highly coordinated students made the cheer leader squad. A second group made the song girls squad (I know, it seems like girls were the only ones in this group, and they were universally attractive) and finally anyone who wanted made the Pep squad. This last catch all group was inclusive and included anyone who wanted to support school athletics. They all had sweaters or other outfits in school colors and we got away with this system for years. I don’t know what would happen now.

[billyboy15]

I went to HS in the 50s (NJ), graduated in 60. To make the Cheerleader squad you had to be first and foremost HOT! You could be athletic as hell but if you didn’t have the looks you had no chance. Because of this it was a status symbol to wear the jacket or sweater of a Cheerleader or Drum Majorette.

A few years ago a HS in northern NJ the same thing described here. The result was the good looking girls stopped trying out because it was no longer a affirmation of their looks to make the squad. In no time the squads was made up of ordinary, plain, sometimes over weight girls mostly unathletic. Within a few more yrs the school had trouble fielding a full squad and actually had to sometimes ask at the game if anyone wanted to be Cheerleader for a day.

I’m glad this all happened long after I graduated.

[pinkandgreenmom]

LOL! I was a cheerleader at Hunterdon Central back in those days!

[treetopsandroofs]

Until the Fraud's unfortunate remarks, the easy solution would have been to let the less "gifted" make the JV cheer leading squad.

[TomGuy]

I've never understood why companies, schools, government entities, etc always take this approach. So, someone is offended, or their feelings get hurt. Why do they always adopt a course that offends or pisses off more people to accommodate the few (or in this case one) snowflakes who complain? Why don't they decide that one or a few whiners is tolerable rather than pissing off the vast multitude?

In Libthink, they think, if they appease, the problem will go away.

Many times, however, they can be forced to back down if enough opposition is raised against their appeasement decision.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease -- and that is usually the Leftist, until enough opposition counters.

[lacrew]

Is this any different than race based preferential hiring for city fire departments? Its wrong for sure, but collectively our society seems to have accepted these practices.

[stylin19a]

if this letter can be believed, the modified original process\intent seemed fair.
Does this structural change now include that all Jrs & Srs. who come out can make Varsity ? I don't read that here. It seems the complaint was made by a Soph. And the school went to a Frosh\Soph and Jr\Sr cheerleading squads.

Office of the Superintendent
HANOVER PARK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
Serving East Hanover Township, Florham Park Borough and Hanover Township
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Carol Grossi 75 Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Superintendent of Schools East Hanover, New Jersey 07936
William F. Albert, Jr. Office – (973) 887-0320
Business Administrator/Board Secretary Fax – (973) 887-9247
May 7, 2018

Dear Parents and Students:
Please accept the following in response to concerns raised by members of the public at the May 2, 2018 HanoverPark Regional High School District Board of Education meeting regarding the Cheerleading Program at Hanover Park High School.

In the wake of the try-outs for the 2018-2019 Cheerleading Squad, the high school administration received multiple appeals from several parents concerning the selection process for the cheerleading try-outs.

These concerns led to an investigation by the Principal. It is our understanding that the selection guidelines indicate that to be a member of the Black Squad, a person trying out would have to score an “87 or better” using the designated rubric.

At the conclusion of the selection process, a total number of six students based on this criteria were eligible for the Black Squad. In order for the advisors to put together a viable squad, the score was arbitrarily lowered to a “78” thereby allowing for the addition of five cheerleaders.

Principal Callanan determined that the process was invalid due to the lowering of the cut-off score to “78.” The high school administration decided to be more inclusive and not penalize any student from making the squad that did not achieve a score of “87 or better.”

Therefore, the structural change was made so that the five students with the scores of “78 – 86” were not removed from the Black Squad. This structural change not only gave the five students a placement on the Black Squad, but it also allowed for more students an opportunity to participate. The high school administration consulted with the cheering advisors who indicated that this change would not create an undue burden on the program or their ability to properly supervise the students.

Besides finding this practice aligned to our District’s core values and similar to our sister school, Whippany Park High School, the Board of Education feels that Principal Callanan made the best decision for our students by having the Hanover Park Cheering Program be more inclusive. As per the cheerleading guidelines for Hanover Park High School, “The emphasis of cheerleading within the Regional High School District shall be upon group involvement rather than featuring the performance of a single or select individual or individuals.” Therefore, for the 2018-2019 school year, the Hanover Park Regional Board of Education supports the structural change as follows:

Grades 11 and 12 Cheerleaders will make up the Black Squad
Grades 9 and 10 Cheerleaders will make up the White Squad

Sincerely,

Hanover Park Regional High School District Board of Education
CC: Carol Grossi, Superintendent of Schools
Hanover Park High School Administration
Dennis McKeever, Esq., Sciarrillo, Cornell, Merlino, McKeever & Osborne, LLC

[9422WMR]

36 year ago the cheerleader tryouts were done in the main auditorium in front of the entire school. (425 students)
Tammy was taller than most of the boys that soon to be sophomore year. Her time came and she jumped and tried her best to show some coordination. It was just not going to happen. Most everyone there that day broke out in laughter. Oh man did that leave a mark. I wonder how she’s doing after all those years?

[Snickering Hound]

[ltc8k6]

“So, will anyone who wants to be on the football team automatically make the team, whether they any ability or not?”

Fire fighters, police officers, soldiers, mechanics, etc.

These days, what you feel, is what you are.
Just identify as a cop, and you are one.

[yarddog]

Our high school had a no cut policy for all athletics. Just because you were on the team did not mean you got to play tho.

If we got ahead by 50 points the coach would start putting in the scrubs.

You also would not letter unless you played a majority of the time. Getting a letter meant you were pretty good.

Now cheerleaders was different. As someone else mentioned, the tryouts were in the gym with the entire student body watching. A panel of teachers made the selections and they were fair.

Our cheerleaders were just plain hot. I mean several were stunning beauties. All were attractive.

Another thing different was they actually led the fans in cheers. No dancing with the band.

[Rich21IE]

You just described the scenes out of the San Antonio High Schools.

Anymore, Public schools sports is a total waste of time and money.

[ltc8k6]

Wait until the boys “identifying as girls” get on the squad.

And on all the girl’s sports teams.

[Reno89519]

At my school they did, but we were a small school in Idaho. My bigger question is who in their right mind would want their daughter being a cheerleader?! If I had a daughter I would NEVER let her do so.

[antidemoncrat]

Yes, please don’t move to Texas.

[Midnitethecat]

Thanks for posting that clip was the first thing I thought of when I first read about this story.

[DoughtyOne]

Wait until this mother’s little “cream-puff” enters the work force.

R E A L I T Y . C H E C K !

[stylin19a]

yep...FF in NYC has been there done that...

this should tee people off.

https://nypost.com/2015/05/17/firefighters-fear-for-their-lives-over-fire-fleeing-colleague/