Cheerleaders Exempt From School Dress Code

[The Straight Story]

Cheerleaders Exempt From School Dress Code
Some Say Rule Is Unfair To Other Seminole County Students


SANFORD, Fla. -- Cheerleaders at Seminole County schools have something to cheer about.

School district officials on Thursday decided that cheerleaders can be exempted from a new ban on short skirts for female students, allowing them to wear their cheerleading uniforms on game days.

The new dress code for schools in the Orlando suburb prohibits sexually suggestive clothing and requires that dresses, skirts and shorts be at least mid-thigh or below in length. The new measure was passed in June.

Some parents are complaining that the cheerleaders are getting special treatment.

http://www.clickorlando.com/education/24868100/detail.html

[msongs]

1. cheerleaders get special treatment? no, really? who'da thought it nt

[seabeyond]

12. lol. nt

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

13. In other news, nerds hitting back at bullies cause principals to approach at transluminent speeds.

[bluestateguy]

2. I'm sure the boys at the school are just outraged about that

nt

[LiberalFighter]

3. They don't specify if dress code exemption applies during the school day

or if it is at the games.

I would support the exemption for the latter only. During the school day they should wear regular clothes. But then again. An exemption for school spirit day in the gym.

[tammywammy]

6. When I was in school, the cheerleaders wore their pants with their cheer tops and skirt

During the school day. The only time they were just skirt, no pants, was at a pep rally or at the actual game.

[LiberalFighter]

25. I think they wore their outfit the whole day when I was in HS

I would go with them wearing clothes that meet the requirements for everyone and they can just as easily wear a vest or sweater that shows them as cheerleaders. BUT why? When the athletes themselves don't wear their uniforms in school on game day. Just imagine what it would be like for football, wrestling, track and field, cross country, swim, hockey, etc. The only thing that the jocks wore in my day were their regular clothes and their letter jackets.

[cleanhippie]

4. Then let ANY student wear a "cheerleader" skirt on game day.

If the school policy is no short skirts, EXCEPT for cheerleader skirts, then any student should be allowed to wear the permitted "cheerleader skirt".

[Iggo]

27. I'll go ya one further.

Require everyone to wear cheerleader skirts on gameday.

[cleanhippie]

30. I like it!

[QC]

5. They are also exempt from all rules governing behavior. n/t

[FSogol]

7. You wish.

:eyes:

[Obamanaut]

8. Cheerleaders have always been 'special'. But they might consider

having a cheerleading uniform that includes trousers, such as worn for really cold games. That should work for game day during class hours.

[Radical Activist]

9. So is this an admission that cheerleading uniforms are sexually suggestive

and/or that they're designed to display high school girls as sex objects? At what point will a school just admit that cheerleading is vocational training to be a stepford trophy wife and/or a stripper?

[Lisa0825]

11. wow.... bitter much? nt

[Radical Activist]

15. I don't know what I would feel bitter about.

High Schools teach teens values and social mores. I think cheerleading sends an unhealthy message that the ideal role for women is to be eye candy in a largely passive role of supporting the boys who play a "real" sport. If cheerleading exists at all it should be barely tolerated rather than celebrated. And if it's really about athleticism for girls then schools should have gymnastics, tumbling or other sports for women that don't revolve around playing a secondary, supportive role to boys.

[seabeyond]

19. school just started. had this conversation with son when he was talking to me about it.

he feels it is sexist. he does not understand why perfect nice girls allows this to happen to them. he was bothered. lol

we discussed the role the female plays in this exactly as you did. but i concluded for son

to be a little patient with these girls because, they are exploring their new found sexuality just as guys are and this is thru inexperiene and knowledge an area they just dont get yet. hopefully, in time they will come to some realizations, as i hope males (footie footie football) will in time, that he and i discuss.

he is just well beyond many of the kids his age.

[Radical Activist]

20. Nice.

Maybe I should have spelled out that I don't have anything against cheerleaders. What bothers me is that these not-so-subtle messages are being sent to impressionable young people who are learning gender roles and what it means to be an adult.

[mzteris]

24. I always told my daughter, do something

where other people are cheering for you!

[LWolf]

28. I agree. nt

[kath]

29. + a brazillion!

have thought for a long time that it sends a very unhealthy message -- thanks for expressing it so well!

[comtec]

14. to be fair, many a cheerleader has gone on to be a productive member of society

the rest were reproductive.

and to answer your question:


DUH!

[Radical Activist]

17. Of course.

I realize many cheerleaders reject the implicit assumptions of the activity. The schools are to blame, not the girls looking for a fun activity.

[proteus_lives]

16. The bitterness is strong with this one.

[Radical Activist]

18. Feeling defensive?

It's an observation on how high schools socialize young people learning to become adults. It's remarkable how similar it is to young women being socialized to support and cheer on the boys who go off to fight war once high school is over.

[RC]

21. Reading down this thread, it appears you have better insight than most people.

I agree with what you're saying and think the school is being hypocritical.

[proteus_lives]

22. Way, way too general.

Broad-brush fail.

[mzteris]

23. +10!

:thumbsup:

[Lisa0825]

10. When I was in HS drill team (mid 1980s) we and the cheerleaders wore our uniforms...

but we also had half-leotards on under the skirt.... more coverage than undies... kind of like granny panties but much thicker fabric. So there was a big difference, IMO between that and any girl wearing a short skirt with her lacy underthings.

We also walked the halls a few times during the day, doing cheers during class time. It made the day less boring.... the kids in class liked it. Made the day go by faster when they were looking forward to a big game that night.

It wasn't trashy. It was like a day long pep rally.

[Iggo]

26. Yay!