MPCHS cheerleaders, parents petition Site Committee to display cheer state champion banners

Parents of Mt. Pleasant Community High School cheerleaders want the school board to consider the students before making a decision about whether cheerleading state championship and runner-up banners will be displayed in the high school gym.

About 30 parents and cheerleaders turned up at the Mt. Pleasant Community School District's Site Committee Thursday, Nov. 1, to advocate for state championship recognition in the school gym. While their trophies are in a display case alongside other program's awards, the cheerleaders are asking to be recognized equally for their accomplishments as other teams' state championships and runners-up.

Hanging the cheerleader's banners in the gym, however, goes against the school board decision made in January to only hang state champion and state runners-up banners in team sports sanctioned by the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls Athletic Union.

Cheerleading is not sanctioned. Cheer coach Nikole Keaster said it is not a sanctioned sport because if it was sanctioned, cheer teams across Iowa would not be able to compete nationally. The MPCHS cheer team does not participate in national competitions.

Keaster asked the board to find out if there are other non-sanctioned teams excluded from getting their state championship and runners-up banners displayed and to take into consideration why the program is not sanctioned before making a decision.

Athletic director Scot Lamm was unsure if or how many non-sanctioned sports had state champion or runners-up banners.

Board president Dave McCoid said he is concerned that only 11 teams across the state compete in the state cheerleading title. He said he also thinks if they move to change the board's decision, that they need to be careful in defining and using the word 'team.”

'I can see lots of organizations using the word ‘team,'” McCoid said. 'The word team, I don't think we can use that as a definition to accomplish the banner.”

McCoid questioned whether individual state winners would come forward requesting their accomplishments be recognized as well if cheer was allowed to display their banners.

The board is also concerned that in including a non-sanctioned sport, they also will have to consider the impact on teams like show choir, marching band, auto, culinary and trap, to name a few.

'When you look at band and choir, I consider those performing arts,” Keaster countered. 'If you're proposing to put in the gym our athletic teams, (cheer) should rightfully be included with the athletic ability it takes for the girls to perform.”

The board proposed possibly using an electronic message board or kiosk for the school where they could upload all state championship and runners-up banners. The advantage of a digital presentation is that they could honor individuals who take state championships too, school board member Martha Wiley said.

Darin Stater, parent to a student cheerleader, said the gym belongs to everyone and the accomplishments of the students and the school should be celebrated in public spaces like the gym.

'In my opinion, put them up,” Stater said. 'What's the harm? Junking up the gym? That's insulting.”

Stater said when he walks into another school's gym and sees their accomplishments he doesn't think it looks cluttered. He's impressed.

'We walk into a gym saying, ‘Holy crap, look at how many championships this school has had.' I think it's great…,” Stater said. 'Whatever (decision) it's going to be, just make an inclusive policy that includes accomplishments of the school and of the children.”

The discussion was taken to the Site Committee after parents and cheerleaders came to the school board during the Oct. 8 school board meeting open forum.

The school board will continue addressing banners as a discussion item at the meeting on Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. in the high school media center. At the time, the board can decide if it will go to another work session or be put on the December school board meeting agenda as an action item.