High school cheerleader told to ‘cover up’ while wearing her uniform at school
We all remember the high school tradition of football players and cheerleaders wearing their uniforms to class on game days, right? At a school in Michigan, where this is still the tradition, one high school cheerleader was told to “cover up” when she wore her uniform during the school day.
Amanda Alburg told reporters that her daughter, Marianah, is a varsity cheerleader at Pinconning High School, where athletes are “instructed” to wear their uniforms on game days, regardless of their sport. But even though Marianah’s cheerleading coach told her and the rest of the team to wear their uniforms to school, she was told to put pants on underneath it.
“I called the school office, and I was told that they are to wear pants under their uniforms at all times. [Not wearing pants] is a distraction to the boys,” Alburg said. “I don’t feel that should be a distraction to the boys. Girls have been wearing cheer uniforms issued by the school on game days to school since I was in high school. Never had to wear pants under it.”
Alburg added that if the uniforms are deemed appropriate for games, which are school-sanctioned events, then they shouldn’t be banned by the dress code during school hours.
The school district’s superintendent, Andy Kowalczyk, said in a statement, “Athletic uniforms may not meet school dress code requirements. This is the case for the length of the cheerleading skirts. PHS would not allow students from any sports team to wear uniforms to school that do not meet those requirements.”
He added via email that no one ever mentioned the cheerleading uniforms being a “distraction to male students,” but Alburg denies that.
“I know who I talked to at the school had told me it was a distraction to boys. That is what I was told personally,” she said.
Alburg attended a school board meeting along with several other parents to ask for the school’s dress code to be changed to be more fair to girls.
“If they can wear their uniforms that are issued by the school to games, and it’s appropriate, it should be appropriate for school also,” she said.
Other parents at the board meeting called out a double standard that exists between male and female students.
“My daughter can’t wear a sports bra to practice because it’s inappropriate, but the gentlemen … can be out at that soccer field or on the basketball court and football field and they have their shirts off. And that is a double standard and it’s a violation of our girls’ civil rights,” one mom said.
Some members of the school board agreed that the dress code needs updates, but warned that changes take time.
“I wouldn’t mind trying to get those policies addressed and give them a test drive in May, and then we can maybe make some changes if necessary for next year,” said school board trustee Mark Coutcher.
