Posted on 07/14/2011 2:31:36 PM PDT by Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears
Nebraska girl born with no arms and legs has blamed unfair scoring after she failed to make her school's cheerleading squad three years in a row.
Julia Sullivan, 16, has complained to the school board after she said she was given 'no accommodation for her disability' during try-outs.
The wheelchair user did not make the team after she received a low score in the jumps/kicks category of the trials.
Miss Sullivan got her highest marks in the communication skills and enthusiasm/spirit categories.
The Aurora High School student, who said that she likes to dance, said: 'I just think it would be fun.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
How can one student participate in both marching band and cheerleading? Seems their activity schedules would overlap, at least during football season.
“father”
Good example. I bet someone will ask a doctor to perform such an operation and when he says that is impossible he will be sued.
Well now, I expect she experienced those things. Do you feel particularly self righteous this evening? Are you going to condemn other FReepers for stating the obvious, because, well you are so above it all and you feel especially compelled to add your 2cents worth? Afterall we have made the unforgiveable mistake of stating the obvious.
I think you misunderstand Apple. He/she was agreeing that the “accomadations” were unreasonable. ;-)
The poster felt compelled to point out what she expected; as if no one knew. She got that and more. Back in an earlier time she would not even been allowed to try out. By pointing it out it just seemed that the poster seem to think ‘no one’ other than he/she, ‘got it’.
Perhaps I should have put a ‘redundant question’ remark in the post.
It makes me insane how people WILL deny reality to the point of stupidity.
She was born with no limbs. INSTANT limitations. Sorry-learn to live with it, or blame your parents for making you .
You can’t be a cheerleader without arms and legs. If she thinks she can, then lets be FAIR. Let her compete JUST AS the other girls do. OUT OF THE CHAIR. Put her on the ground and tell her to do the routine. Can’t? Out!
That’s reality.
What’s next? Just to make people FEEL ‘normal’ we let the blind fly airliners? How about mute singers, or paralyzed police officers chasing down criminals? Who would leave their infant with a paraplegic just to make them feel good-the baby’s safety be damned?
There are things all of us cannot do. You don’t remake the world to suit your disability because you can’t accept the limitations nature gives you. You accept it.
If my daughter were on the squad, I’d insist this girl be treated the same as all the others and made to try out JUST as they did.
You can’t be the same and get special treatment at the same time.
Tossing! Good point. Since she can’t toss anyone else into the air, would she be ok being tossed? What about ‘whoopsies’?
Isn’t dwarf tossing illegal? Tossing cripples is ok?
...except for that "special accommodation" thingy.
Get a humerous transplant; your funny bone is missing.
>>Yeah. Like hold up a sign and cheer when the team scores a touchdown. Check and check. <<
That may be part of the job, but not all. To use my blind cab driver analogy, one of his jobs may be to open the trunk for a fare. Just because he can do that part of the job doesn’t mean he is qualified to be a cab driver. Also, I am a bass player. 70% of the stuff I do is pretty easy. The reason I am in bands is because I can do the other 30% when it is required.
Fact is, for cheerleading squads you may have 40 girls try out for 6 positions. There are standard criteria used to pick the six out of the 40. Some VERY basic skills are kicking, jumping, etc. The ones that cannot pull that off with “excitement” are dropped fast. And most of them have all their arms and legs. Should they complain too that it is not fair?
You are being silly.
>>Again, since we’re not dealing with competitive cheerleading, I don’t see what coordination has to do with being on a cheer squad.<<
Actually it IS competitive. When you have 40 kids (or seven) trying out for six positions, the girls are competing for those six positions. The ones that fit the criteria best will get those six positions, unless you subscribe to the concept of the “charity case” or affirmative action.
>>In fact, because of the risk of serious injury/death, I’d go so far as to say that non-competitive high school cheer squads shouldn’t be doing the types of stunts that require athletic ability beyond that which this girl possesses. <<
Yep. Penn and Teller have a great bullshit episode about that. But remember, the rudimentary act of jumping or kicking would be beyond the athletic ability this particular girl possesses. That is why she is not qualified to be a cheerleader, especially compared to the competition for the position.
The ONLY reason for putting her on display would be as the token cripple.
Isn’t that speshul...
>>Everyone here makes it out to be, she showed up and was expected to be put on the team because she... Well, has no arms or legs.<<
That’s how I see it. What other reason could there be other than charity case token cripple put there to show the world that “we’re the school that cares”.
But beyond that, Dirty Harry said it best: A man’s got to know his limitations.
Have you been to a high school football or basketball game in the last 50 years? What sign(s) are you talking about? Cheerleaders spend most of the game jumping, walking (skipping and jumping, actually) back and forth calling out with and without megaphones to fans, doing the pyramids, etc. I have yet to see one hold up a sign.
I don’t know about high schools in Nebraska or wherever you live, but I would imagine they’re not too different from those in VA where every high school I know has its cheering squad attend camps and competitions, with most not expecting to go onto any national title, but they DO compete. They don’t get Varsity letters for holding up signs.
Who said I was ugly? Just horribly average-looking.
Why is that so difficult for people to wrap their heads around?
I think they spell that "OWE$".
Your friends probably just tell you you’re average looking to make you feel better.
You’re probably ugly.
Just kidding.
How about short stop?
That is so wrong is so many ways ... What a lame thing to say ...
lol it beared repeating...
Public expressions of common sense will soon be decreed a "hate crime", as it discriminates unfairly against the logically-challenged community.
Don’t you have to see the instruments?
Prior posts: Our high school cheerleaders did a lot more than hold a sign and wave pom poms. They did pyramids, jumped in the air and did splits. Sometimes the gals would carry other cheerleaders on their shoulders during a cheer.
Perhaps so. But these activities are not required to excite the crowd and, as I noted before, perhaps not advisable due to the high risk of serious injury or death.
***
I suppose you are correct that the cheerleading squad could be redefined in a way that would exclude no one, regardless of disability. And I agree that this girl is inspirational, and could likely contribute to crowd enthusiasm at athletic events. That said, we should not require school groups to redefine what they do in order to allow someone otherwise not qualified to be on the team. From the article, her sister was on the squad (apparently able-bodied), and made the team based upon the requirements that had been established.
Jumping, dancing, yelling, doing gymnastic stunts, participating in pyramid formations, etc. are all part of what, with very exceptions, every cheerleading squad does. There is a uniformity required, in movement and in appearance. I’m afraid this young lady would be conspicuous by her disruption of this uniformity. Could the cheerleading team sit behind desks and cheer from there? Sure, but that is not a cheerleading team by any reasonable definition. I guess all members could be in wheelchairs to establish the uniformity component, and learn from this girl how to do the moves that she does. But what is required (and logical) is “reasonable” accommodation, not an abandonment of what the team is and does. I am sure that some potential cheerleaders don’t go in for the short skirts and tight sweaters, perhaps for moral or religious reasons. Should the team be required to wear pants and baggy shirts (or maybe burkas)?
This young lady is asking too much, in my view.
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