Cheerleader Drama

[justalayman]

Do you think that a girl who had summer camp overlap with a practice and would have to miss one should also be forgiven and not have to sit out the game?

It doesn't matter what you or I think. It is what you agreed to and that is, if she misses this camp, she is penalized. Again, it has nothing to do with religion. If she missed it because she was at Six Flags, the penalty would be the same.

I don't expect her to be treated different.

actually, you do. You want her to be given special treatment because the reason she is missing the camp is because of a religious obligation. That is asking her to be treated differently.

 

[xylene]

That is asking her to be treated differently.

Education law respects, and requires, different treatment based on religious difference.

It's called religious accommodation.

And I don't believe for a nano-second that the cheerleader code mom and daughter signed supersedes that. It's not worth the ditto paper its printed on.

 

[justalayman]

Education law respects, and requires, different treatment based on religious difference.

It's called religious accommodation.

And I don't believe for a nano-second that the cheerleader code mom and daughter signed supersedes that. It's not worth the ditto paper its printed on.

It is odd that when I was younger, there was a decision to not allow a moment of silence in the morning to allow for any that pray a moment to pray specifically because it was based on a religious accommodation. The argument was that those that didn't wish to pray or simply didn't practice a religion could simply set in silence. It was determined that those that did not choose to pray would be singled out. Kind of a reverse discrimination situation in the end.

So far, I have found plenty of situations where a school has given religious accommodations. The only mandated accommodations I have found are some very poor decisions. One example is a school was required to allow a student to wear a cross necklace that hung on the outside of the shirt. The school rule was that no necklaces were allowed to hang over the shirt. They could be worn inside the shirt or shorter necklaces were allowed. Either situation should have been fine but for some reason the school was ordered to allow the student to wear the longer necklace on the outside of their shirt. A ridiculous decision IMO.

The fact is; while a Catholic church may have a retreat leading up to confirmation, I have yet to attend a Catholic church where any such activity is mandatory. There are always ways around such requirements.

I'm not trying to say the OP is bad for wanting her child to attend the retreat as it is an important issue. I simply have a problem with allowing special exemptions.

I guess I need to start a religion when my kids are required to stand up and twirl in circles every 1/2 hour. If the school won't allow it, I guess I'll have to sue.

as to the agreement being legally enforceable? I don't think that is the issue. After all, if they make her sit out, it's not like they can redo the game so she doesn't have to sit out a game.

 

[cyjeff]

Of course, another way to look at this was to negotiate the contract BEFORE you signed it.

In other words, did you know about the camp retreat when you signed her up for cheerleading?

Then the time to try for an exemption was at that time.

Now, you and your daughter (at least I think it is a daughter) are bound.

This is an excellent opportunity to show your daughter that choices have fallout. One game will not scar her for life and gives her an opportunity to understand the concept.

 

[CdwJava]

Did you inform the coach ahead of time?

My sons have long participated in sports and had to live under very similar circumstances. While church accommodations might occur, we have found that letting the coach know well ahead of time is the best way to avoid penalty. However, there have been a few games over the years where one son or another has had to sit out a quarter, an inning, a period, or whatever as a result of a schedule conflict that compelled him to miss practice. It is a fact of life.

About all you can do is run it up the flagpole (figuratively) and speak to whomever is over the coach's head. If that does not result in accommodation, you have to then ask whether or not it is worth an ugly court fight just to allow her to play in one game. Personally, I'd make a lesson out of it involving sacrifice and commitment, and the consequences we sometimes have to face when making difficult choices.

 

[Zigner]

About all you can do is run it up the flagpole (figuratively) and speak to whomever is over the coach's head.

I can guarantee you that, if the coach gets wind of the OP going over his head, then kiddo will see even LESS time on the field.

 

[TheGeekess]

I don't expect her to be treated different. In fact, I would advocate for equality. However, I do believe that exceptions should be made for religious observations/obligations for all. If a Muslim cheerleader needed to miss part or all of a practice I would not want her/him penalized for it.

Because its a public school, should separation of church and state impose school requirements before God?

Dude, you misunderstand what that means. All the Constitution says is that Congress shall not establish a state religion.

 

[Perky]

I realize that this is a different situation, but there's a school district in Illinois that the Dept of Justice is taking to court over a civil rights violation.

A Muslim teacher asked for 3 weeks of unpaid leave to attend Hajj. The district denied her request, she quit, and now they're dealing with the civil rights violation in court. DoJ says they denied her civil right to practice her religion.

I imagine that the school district will argue that her religion only requires the pilgrimage once during her lifetime, so she should have planned to go when the pilgrimage occurs in the summer.

The teacher signed a contract that specifies school days, acceptable reasons for taking sick days and personal days, etc.

In a similar way, didn't the contract for a school activity violate the girl's right to practice her religion? Or maybe the consequence of sitting out one game because she participated in her religious obligation is a violation?

 

[CdwJava]

I can guarantee you that, if the coach gets wind of the OP going over his head, then kiddo will see even LESS time on the field.

Retaliatory conduct is a different animal than violating a stated policy.

Besides, she is a cheerleader, not a player.

 

[Zigner]

Retaliatory conduct is a different animal than violating a stated policy.

Besides, she is a cheerleader, not a player.

Coaches have great discretion in what members they allow to perform. Yes, it's cheerleading. But the cheerleaders still go "on the field" to perform.

 

[stealth2]

Both of mine had to sit out a game when they missed practice for court-ordered visitation. When they have missed school for religious observances, it's been an excused absence. Which does not excuse them for consequences of missing practice.

Suppose ANOTHER girl skipped the retreat to make practice... why should she not participate before OP's precious one?

 

[BOR]

Dude, you misunderstand what that means. All the Constitution says is that Congress shall not establish a state religion.

You misunderstand what that means also. Both the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause are applicable to state and local govt's.

 

[Cesar555]

Cheer Drama

Today I went to speak with the acting summer school principle who is also the cheer adviser. He wanted to hear my concern:

"I have no problem with penalties due to missing practices due to other activities my daughter chooses to do. I also expressed that I was OK with her being penalized for missing for a religious observation and that she has also come to accept it."

My greater concern was:

"Because the agreement signed by the parent and child was a pre-condition to participate in cheer, was the school banning a portion population of the school that could not meet the commitment due to religious requirements that would otherwise participate. For example Jews and Muslims (there aren't any on the squad)."

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

I think your school should revise its cheer leading program to accommodate all religious practices and disabilities. They should also change a section of the field, where cheer leaders perform. It needs to be a hard rubber, to allow wheel chair bound cheer leaders, while preserving a cushioned space for safety. Muslims should be permitted burkas. Cheer leading advisers should allow anyone who wishes to participate to do so.

 

[swalsh411]

Yes and no games on Saturdays because Jewish families may not be able to attend. And no more pork hotdogs. And no secular music because it is against the religions beliefs of some people to listen to that.

The OP's statement that she doesn't want her daughter to be treated differently when clearly that is exactly what she wants is laughable.