May 17, 2007

Parents,
district clash over cheerleaders

Lester L. Holmes, Jr.

Staff Writer

Plymouth-Canton school
officials and parents of Plymouth
High School cheerleaders
disagree on the levels of commitment from the district toward finding ways to
bring competitive cheer to the campus.

More than 2,000 residents and students have signed a petition asking for
a competitive cheerleading team at the high school led by Doug Isaacson,
president of the Plymouth
cheerleaders’ boosters.

Under the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MSHAA)
rules, competitive cheer is a sanctioned sport that takes place in the
winter. Competitive cheer is different from sideline cheer as competitive
squads compete against other schools and are eligible for district, regional
and state championships.

Issacson, a Canton
Township resident with a daughter
attending Plymouth
High School, accuses
school officials of dragging their feet on the issue.

“I want my kid and other girls to have the opportunity to compete,
earn scholarships and recognition,” said Issacson,
who has been pushing the competitive cheer effort for more than a year.

Mike Bender, the director of secondary education is asking parents and
students for patience as the officials are moving in good faith and due
diligence to determine whether the district can support competitive cheer at
the school.

“These things take time. To sanction a sport requires a complete
investigation,” said Bender. The school must study how adding the sport
to the school would impact the district budget with uniform costs, coach and
administrative salaries and traveling expenses. Bender also said due to the
court-mandated changes to sports scheduling, space will be at a premium as
the district must find room and facilities to balance men’s and
women’s basketball next winter.

The school district has formed a co-ed cheerleading team representing
students from Plymouth, Canton
and Salem
high schools. After threatening to sue the MSHAA if
they attempt to disband the group, a compromise was reached to allow the
co-ed cheerleading team to compete. However, students on the team are
ineligible to compete in any other MSHAA activity.

“Students are going to have to choose between sports all over the
district. (Competitive cheer) would be another choice students have to
make.”