Board members will vote on whether cheerleaders can attend the
Pro Bowl in a special meeting
Gilroy – Honolulu.
The National Football League Pro Bowl.
Just last week that place and event appeared out of reach but a change of heart on the part of four board members has pushed the Gilroy High School cheerleading squad one step closer to making participation in the highly-anticipated and traditional field trip a reality.
“So we’re hopeful that they do change their vote and that we’re able to go,” said Alyssa Radtke, 17, one of the 11 varsity cheerleaders who qualified as a team to perform in the February event.
Facing a packed room of about 40 community members, parents, teachers and students, the Gilroy Unified School District unanimously voted to reconsider a Sept. 21 vote that rejected a request made by the spirit squad to travel to Hawaii for the performance during the Thursday evening meeting.
Trustees Javier Aguirre, Tom Bundros, David McRae, Pat Midtgaard, Jim Rogers and Jaime Rosso all voted in favor of reconsideration. Trustee Rhoda Bress was sick and not able to attend the meeting.
The reconsideration approval is monumental because it affords the cheerleaders yet another opportunity to rally their cause and convince the board that this field trip does matter and it is important. The board will cast a final vote on the issue during a special meeting on Wednesday.
The varsity squad, decked out in their blue, white and gold tops paired with jeans, filled the front rows of the board room and listened intently as trustees weighed in on the controversial issue. Board President Midtgaard explained that in order for reconsideration to take place a trustee who previously voted against the field trip must make the motion.
After delivering a lengthy speech addressing the reason he changed his mind, Rosso made that motion, which was seconded by McRae. McRae, who along with Rogers was the only board members to vote in favor of the field trip two weeks ago, requested that the board reconsider the decision and place the item on the agenda.
Before making the first motion, Rosso explained that after casting his vote with the majority and listening to all the community’s concerns, he discovered that the denial raised a question about the fairness of the policy on field trips.
“I am deeply concerned that many parents feel unsupported,” Rosso said.
Many individuals and some board members have blamed the confusion over this issue on what they consider a general, vague policy that discourages field trips involving an “excessive” loss of classroom time but it doesn’t give any specifics as to what is considered excessive.
“I believe the policy, the way it is stated now, is pretty broad in spectrum,” said Scott Radtke, a parent of one of the cheerleaders.
The intense controversy surrounding the cheerleading trip began two weeks ago when, in a 5-2 vote, the GUSD board backed the district’s decision to not allow the squad to travel to Hawaii for the February performance.
In order for the cheerleaders to perform in the Pro Bowl, they’re required to practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The performance, in front of thousands of football fans, takes place on Saturday.
Thanks to a superior rating earned during summer camp, the varsity team was invited to perform at the Pro Bowl, an event the team has participated off and on for the past 25 years. Principal James Maxwell initially approved the field trip request but when it landed at the district office, it was rejected.
The squad appealed the decision and it was set before the board.
In the wake of the vote, community members, former cheerleaders and parents rallied around the spirit squad. E-mails poured into this newspaper and boardmembers were peppered with comments, the majority in support of the cheerleaders.
Although many adults sitting in the crowd were parents of cheerleaders, Gilroyans with no children enrolled at GHS also spoke from the podium in support of the girls.
Diane Stone and Tricia McRae were two of those individuals. The women delivered emotional speeches emphasizing the life-changing experiences that take place during school field trips.
Stone, who’s daughter is a GHS alumna and former cheerleader, said she headed to the meeting to let the board know that their decision was wrong.
“You guys really struck a big nerve,” she said.
Tricia McRae, who is also the wife of boardmember David McRae, said she graduated from GHS and has vivid, lasting memories of the field hockey field trip she attended with her team.
The deadline to secure a spot fell on Monday but since optimistic parents forked over the cash it is still possible for the girls to go. But because some of the boardmembers emphasized that the fact that they voted in favor of reconsideration doesn’t necessarily mean they will approve the field trip next week, the cheerleaders are remaining cautiously optimistic.
“I don’t wanna get my hopes up because anything can happen,” said 14-year-old Angelina Villarreal.
