[ad_1]
SALT LAKE CITY – A Utah college cheerleading program has come under fire after a student with Down’s syndrome, who worked as a team leader, was excluded from an official team portrait this year.
The Shoreline Junior High School cheerleading squad took two official team portraits – one photo with Morgyn Arnold, 14, and another photo that included everyone but Arnold, the Salt Lake reported on Wednesday. Tribune. This last photo was used by the school on social networks and in the directory.
Arnold’s older sister Jordyn Poll, 25, said she believed the decision was made because of her sister’s disability. She also said it was the second time in three years that Arnold had been kicked out of the directory – she wasn’t on the class roster two years ago.
“Morgyn is very smart,” Poll said, adding that her sister’s name wasn’t even mentioned in the phone book. “She knew what had happened. She was sad and she was hurt.”
In public posts on Facebook and Instagram, Poll shared the two photos and argued that the school is deliberately excluding her sister. She said her sister spent hours learning the dances, attending games and supporting the team.
“It’s the SAME cheering team – SAME girls, SAME photoshoot, SAME poses, but one included everyone on the team and one didn’t,” Poll said. “A choice has been made on the photo to be submitted.”
Shoreline Junior High posted an apology on her Facebook page. But the page was then hidden or deleted.
“We are deeply saddened by the mistake that was made in omitting a student photo from the yearbook,” the post said. “An apology has been given to the family and we sincerely apologize to everyone else affected by this error. We continue to review what happened and improve our practice.”
The Davis School District in Davis County, just north of Salt Lake City, issued a similar statement.
“We continue to examine what happened and why it happened,” the statement said. “We will continue to review our processes to make sure this does not happen again. “
Poll said her family initially called the school and was told there was nothing they could do, The Tribune reported. She said on Wednesday that the school had contacted the family again and was working “to redress the situation.”
Utah Disability Law Center attorney Nate Crippes said Wednesday that this type of exclusion often occurs in schools across the state and the center receives about 4,000 complaints annually. Crippes said all districts can improve by adding more housing and being more inclusive.
Arnold will be in ninth grade at Shoreline Junior High next year, Poll said, adding that his sister has yet to decide whether she will continue to be the cheers responsible.
Copyright 2021 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
[ad_2]
picture credit