NJ School’s New Rule Lets Anyone Be A Cheerleader

A New Jersey high school says everyone makes the cheerleader squad or nobody does.
Officials in Hanover, New Jersey say the new policy is more inclusive, but not everyone is happy with the change.

The controversy started when a parent complained in April.

Her daughter tried out, but didn’t make the squad.

The school’s athletic director decided to change the policy and allow anyone on the cheer squad.
That didn’t sit well with students who say they earned a spot on the team and now they want the school board to reverse the policy.

Cheerleaders who originally made the cut and their parents took their concerns to the school board last week.
Sophomore Jada Alcontara said, “I came up here to state that I did not put in 18 months of work to lead up to this moment, just to be told it didn’t matter anymore.”

“I tried my hardest. Now everything is going away because of one child who did not make the team,” added cheerleader Stephanie Krueger. “And their parent complained, so now all my hard work has been thrown out the window.”

The school’s principal seems to be fed up with the entire ordeal and threatened to disband the cheer squad altogether.
The school board says the change is in everyone’s best interest, but it will discuss the change and make a decision later.