Cheerleaders should be allowed to attend all games.  Our division athletic directors decided to enforce not allowing our cheerleaders to attend away games.  All other athletes are allowed to attend their entire fall season. 

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) considers Sideline Cheer a lower risk SPORT as noted on page 9 of the recently published "Guidance for Opening Up High School Athletics and Activities".  There can be a maximum amount of up to 500 spectators that can attend high school football games.  According to the NHFS Guidelines, page 9, athletes (Tier 1 - Essential) take precedence over spectators (Tier 3 - Non-Essential).  Cheerleaders are athletes and should be considered before the hundreds of spectators. 

Like all other Fall Athletes, our cheerleaders have attended and practiced all summer, cut vacations short, and altered work schedules in order to prepare for ALL of the games.  The decision to exclude the cheer athletes clearly establishes a discriminatory practice against one group of athletes which is predominantly female.  Please support the cheerleaders by signing this petition. 

Thank you.