[ad_1]
KENOSHA, Wisconsin (AP) – A Wisconsin High School ends annual cheerleading awards for girls with larger breasts and breasts – nicknamed "Big Booty" and "Big Boobie" – after the American Civil Liberties Union asked for action following repeated complaints parents and a former coach to school and district officials.
Coaches at Tremper High School in the Kenosha Unified School District each year award prizes for the most improved or hard working cheerleaders. At least in the past two years, they have also awarded what they have called gag awards, according to the ACLU of Wisconsin. These rewards also included one in 2018 for "String Bean" – the slimmest member of the team.
The ACLU, which on Tuesday sent a letter asking district discipline officials involved in the awards, said e-mails and other documents obtained during an investigation revealed that the awards had been handed out at the time. a banquet gathering about a hundred people, including coaches and family members. and friends of the students.
The details of the awards banquet were first reported by The New York Times.
Among those complaining was former track coach Patti Hupp. Last year, she sent an email to Tremper's director, Steve Knecht, to share her concerns after a parent informed her of the award.
"I do not think it's a lot to see that this is extremely degrading for women," said Hupp in an email to Knecht.
In an email dated April 28, Knecht announced to his coaches that he was going to open an investigation into the awards after receiving complaints from four different people. He then told a parent who had followed that he had found no evidence of wrongdoing. When the parent asked for a justification, he wrote in a letter that the awards "were supposed to be funny" and that the coaches "were just joking".
District spokeswoman Tanya Ruder said: "It is clearly expected that rewards of this nature are not acceptable and should not be discounted at the Dipboard cheerleading banquets in the future." However, the Times reported that a coach had sent a note to the team on Sunday. about this year's awards banquet that only cheerleaders and coaches are invited
Hupp also e-mailed cheerleading coach Patti Uttech on April 24 to voice her concerns.
"The last thing these high school girls need is a woman in their life who tells them that they are objects or that their appearance is something that deserves to be blown away. humiliated, ridiculed or even rewarded, "wrote Hupp.
Uttech said she did not see any problem.
"Honestly, I do not think I need to explain how we organized our banquet," she said in her e-mail response. "In fact, we have been managing it for years and have never had a problem."
A human resources manager met Uttech a month after this email and ordered him to write letters of apology to the students and resign on June 14 at the latest, according to documents obtained by the 39; ACLU. However, Uttech continued to coach the cheerleading team, the ACLU said.
Ruder stated that the school district could not discuss personnel issues.
Hupp told Kenosha News that she was not only disappointed with the school district.
"I'm disgusted by Kenosha's coaches and parents sitting there who said and did nothing," Hupp said.
[ad_2]
Source link