Texas Cheerleader Refused to Cheer For Her Attacker, Loses Case in Court

I came across a story a few months ago that made me sick to my stomach: a Texas cheerleader was kicked off of her squad for refusing to cheer for the athlete who allegedly raped her. Now, the victim has taken her case to court, and the verdict is making me sick all over again.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the victim had no right to refuse to cheer for her attacker, stating that as a cheerleader, she was to serve as an agent of the school and support the team. The court dismissed her case as "frivolous" and forced her family to pay the school district $45,000 for legal fees. The Supreme Court has declined to review the case.

You know, I really hate this case. First of all, I feel absolutely horrible for this young lady. She was put into a situation no girl deserves to be put in. I couldn't even begin to imagine what it must feel like to have to cheer for the man who raped you.

Secondly, it really sounds to me like the school district is trying to cover for the attacker, who just happens to be one of the school's star football and basketball player. High school athletics is huge in Texas, I get that. And schools are naturally proud of their star athletes and want to support them however they can. But forcing a girl to cheer for her attacker? Sorry, that's ridiculous.

But the thing that really gets me is this: legally speaking, the school can't do anything about this guy. The fact is, he was not convicted of any crime, so the school really has no legal cause to expel him or forbid him from playing sports. And the fact is, as much as I hate to say it, it is the cheerleader's job to cheer for the players.

I don't like the decision, and I can't argue with it. All I can hope for is that, somehow or other, this young lady will be able to recover from this horrible incident and get her life back.