All of us bear in mind the highschool custom of soccer gamers and cheerleaders carrying their uniforms to class on recreation days, proper? At a college in Michigan, the place that is nonetheless the custom, one highschool cheerleader was advised to “cowl up” when she wore her uniform in the course of the college day.
Amanda Alburg told reporters that her daughter, Marianah, is a varsity cheerleader at Pinconning Excessive College, the place athletes are “instructed” to put on their uniforms on recreation days, no matter their sport. However although Marianah’s cheerleading coach advised her and the remainder of the crew to put on their uniforms to high school, she was advised to place pants on beneath it.
“I known as the varsity workplace, and I used to be advised that they’re to put on pants below their uniforms always. [Not wearing pants] is a distraction to the boys,” Alburg mentioned. “I don’t really feel that must be a distraction to the boys. Women have been carrying cheer uniforms issued by the varsity on recreation days to high school since I used to be in highschool. By no means needed to put on pants below it.”
Alburg added that if the uniforms are deemed applicable for video games, that are school-sanctioned occasions, then they shouldn’t be banned by the costume code throughout college hours.
The college district’s superintendent, Andy Kowalczyk, mentioned in a press release, “Athletic uniforms might not meet college costume code necessities. That is the case for the size of the cheerleading skirts. PHS wouldn’t enable college students from any sports activities crew to put on uniforms to high school that don’t meet these necessities.”
He added through e-mail that nobody ever talked about the cheerleading uniforms being a “distraction to male college students,” however Alburg denies that.
“I do know who I talked to on the college had advised me it was a distraction to boys. That’s what I used to be advised personally,” she mentioned.
Alburg attended a college board assembly together with a number of different dad and mom to ask for the varsity’s costume code to be modified to be extra truthful to women.
“If they will put on their uniforms which might be issued by the varsity to video games, and it’s applicable, it must be applicable for varsity additionally,” she mentioned.
Different dad and mom on the board assembly known as out a double customary that exists between female and male college students.
“My daughter can’t put on a sports activities bra to observe as a result of it’s inappropriate, however the gents … might be out at that soccer subject or on the basketball courtroom and soccer subject they usually have their shirts off. And that may be a double customary and it’s a violation of our women’ civil rights,” one mother mentioned.
Some members of the varsity board agreed that the costume code wants updates, however warned that adjustments take time.
“I wouldn’t thoughts making an attempt to get these insurance policies addressed and provides them a check drive in Could, after which we are able to possibly make some adjustments if needed for subsequent 12 months,” mentioned college board trustee Mark Coutcher.
