Posted on 02/01/2006 3:43:36 AM PST by don-o
JOHNSON CITY - A former East Tennessee State University cheerleader contends that she was dismissed from the squad because of her job at a restaurant known for tight-fitting, scanty uniforms.
"I'm 18. I should be able to work where I choose," ETSU freshman Kimberly Sams said of her job at Johnson City's Hooters Restaurant. "Maybe if it was a strip club or something like that, it would be different. If the basketball team can come in here and eat, then I should be able to work (at Hooters)."
Sams, a Carter County resident who graduated with honors from Unaka High School last May, joined the ETSU squad at the start of the fall semester and started working at Hooters in November.
She cheered until about three weeks ago, when squad coach Tammy Bartow called her into the locker room after a basketball game and dismissed her.
Sams said Bartow, wife of head men's basketball coach Murry Bartow, made it clear that her off-campus job was the reason - a "Hooters Girl" was not in keeping with the ETSU squad's image.
"She (Bartow) didn't call me before the game," Sams said. "I had no warning that I was going to be kicked off."
Citing federal laws regarding students' privacy, ETSU Athletic Director Dave Mullins declined to comment on the specifics of Sams' dismissal, including whether she was dismissed because of her job, other than to say she violated athletic department policies and agreements between coach and student.
Mullins said department administrators reviewed Bartow's action, departmental policy and squad agreements before upholding the decision.
ETSU asks all student-athletes, including cheerleaders, to sign copies of the department's policy on ethical conduct and sportsmanship. Students must sign a compliance statement regarding such issues as drug use, class attendance and public criticism.
The statement specifies that students will "represent self, family and East Tennessee State University in attitude and conduct that is a credit to each."
Mullins said members of each team also are expected to adhere to policies set by the coach. Bartow's policy includes statements regarding expected behavior for cheerleaders.
"Behavior by a squad member that brings unwanted, unfair, negative attention to the squad can and will result in the member being removed from the squad," the policy reads. "The image and reputation of the squad members as a whole are the utmost importance."
Asked whether the policies addressed what kinds of jobs students could hold or places they could frequent, Mullins said they did not.
"I don't think any of our policies are going to specify certain individuals or companies or institutions," he said.
Sams said ETSU never informed her of any restrictions about places of employment, and she had no reservations about accepting a position waiting tables at Hooters when a classmate suggested that she apply.
"I used to come here all the time on Tuesday nights for karaoke and me and my friends would just come in and hang out," Sams said. "We have little boys have their birthday parties at Hooters. It's a very fun and relaxed environment.
"It's so much fun that it keeps my spirits up at school. I'm not stressed. I'm not working too hard. A Hooters Girl is like an all-American cheerleader."
Sams acknowledged that her Hooters uniform - orange shorts and a white T-shirt containing the restaurant's logo - is revealing.
"But so is my cheerleading skirt. I feel more embarrassed to wear my skirt sometimes at the games than I do walking around in my uniform," she said. "We wear pantyhose (at Hooters). We don't underneath my cheerleading skirt."
Mike McNeil, vice president of marketing for the Atlanta-based restaurant chain, said he had not heard about Sams' dismissal from the ETSU squad prior to a reporter's inquiry, but it sounded as if Sams was defending her position on her own.
"We support the employee and the statements she's making," McNeil said. "I think the best thing they (ETSU) can do is reinstate her to the cheerleading team ... otherwise, it's a black eye."
Sams said although she initially did well in her classes at ETSU, her grades went south over the course of the semester and she wound up failing some classes. Cheerleaders are required to maintain at least a 2.0 grade-point average. Sams said freshmen, however, were not held to that standard, and her grades were not cited in her dismissal.
Sams said she had hoped to bring up her grades this semester, but her academic status was in limbo because of a dispute regarding the return of her uniforms and money owed her for warm-up gear.
Men are visual,
women are imaginers....
IOW, you like to see the movie,
they'd rather read the book so they can imagine.
If the two of you are together as a couple then he better not ogle. HUGE breech of protocol and incredibly poor manners. Of course most men have incredible perpheral vision for this sort of thing but that just can't be helped.
I can agree with that. (From what I've seen so far)
Depends on how many margarita's I've had....
I do remember when Jon-Eric Hexum died and I remarked to a boyfriend that he was too gorgeous to bury, they should send him to a taxidermist (I think it was beer I was drinking).
My poor date looked like I had slapped him with a dead fish.
Agreed. Congrats on getting yourself in shape... I'm still tryin'.
:-)
I meant the comment about a nice, expensive suit, made earlier.
I have no prob with women ogling men. I actually like it! Pretty much all the guys I know feel this way.
I would have no problem if my wife wanted to go to one of those male strip clubs. I'd even find it somewhat intruiging!
No offense intended but maybe you should accept your wife the way she is. Trying to change her personality is just going to make you both miserable. IMO, anyway.
Evidently there are no rules; just opinions being subjectively applied.
You expect us not to look - but you look?
Well, isn't that special.
The only pix I could find with his shirt on...
I watched a training session of the Dallas Cowboy cheer leaders. They were looking for sex appeal. These costumes aren't any worse.
I have a thing for unusual eyes - blue, green, hazel, yellow/green, grey/blue....
Hair is not important - as long as it's real - no plugs or roadkill for me.
Butts are also important....biceps.... jaw line......
.
I hate those outfits....
I mean, the bras have to have hydraulic lifts in them, I've never seen puppies jacked up so high!
Oh!
I didn't mean to suggest I try to change her! We've been married 20 years, we just talk about everything. I love her the way she is, and thank GOD she still seems to find me sexy, even tho I've gained 50 pounds since the good ole days!
Perhaps you didn't read what I wrote or we misconnected somehow. Let me try again:
A man on a date (out as a couple) MUST not look as it is horribly rude. That is not to say that he won't see the person in his peripheral vision. He's not required to hide his head under the table just because some sweet young thing walks through the room but he also shouldn't pay any attention to her. Same goes for a woman looking. (Is this any clearer?)
I brought up the peripheral vision in the first place because by design men are incredibly visual. We are hunters and when something which is normally hunted shows up we naturally take notice.
I don't think this will be the last we've heard on this story.
There are still some missing pieces to this puzzle.
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