Cheerleaders Stage Mock Execution

Cheerleaders Stage Mock Execution

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

filed under: family

High school cheerleaders stage a controversial routine with guns and mock slaughter. Shocked? Check out the video.

Recently, a performance by cheerleaders at a Texas high school pep rally sparked a battle between students and the administration over whether routines promoting gun violence are appropriate for school.

Cheerleaders at Nacogdoches High School in Nacogdoches, Texas performed a skit wearing cowboy hats and carrying toy guns while they shot down cheerleaders dressed as the opposing team, the Center High School Roughriders.

Nacogdoches cheerleaders posted a video on Facebook forcing the Roughriders to kneel before them and pretend to shoot the girls in the head. The "killers" then drag the opposing team into a pile and celebrate by raising their guns and tossing money into the air.

Despite more than 120 students signing a petition protesting "gun promotion" at pep rallies, school principal Nathan Chaddick defended the squad, calling the skit "simple, innocent satire" to boost school spirit.

"Everybody enjoyed it and had a good time," Chaddick said. "They were calling the cheerleaders 'fearleaders,' That's just inappropriate."

Tell us -- do you think these cheerleaders went too far?

51 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

this is all rediculous

- phillip

Posted 10/09/08 12:56 AM

TRL, you need to understand some things about the band. I was in it for all four years of high school and was on drumline. It is not that the band doesn’t want to play. The band doesn’t play so you can hear what plays are being called. It was requested that we not play because of that reason. Band cannot play while Dragons are on offense, and band cannot play when Dragons are on the south side of the field (near the band). They don’t play to help you out! As far as animosity, there really isn’t any. If the band needs money, they raise it. The only thing that really irritated me in high school was not being allowed to practice on in the stadium on Thursdays because the coach “didn’t want the band tearing up HIS field.” I know of a few schools that have had this same problem. They came to this comprimise: If the football team wins, they get the field on Thursdays. If they lose, the band gets it.

- Distinguished Alum

Posted 10/09/08 01:15 AM

the problem i have with the skit has nothing to do with violence or guns. If they portrayed victory over the opponent by staging a battle it wouldnt be that bad. But when the opponent is kneeling, bound at the wrists when you shoot them, that’s a cowardly act of murder. They wanted to portray triumphant heroes, and instead acted the role of despicable killers.

- impartial

Posted 10/09/08 04:00 AM

It is important to note that if Mr. Nathan Chaddick were an effective principal with an open door discussion policy, none of this ever would have happened. In my eyes, the problem in all of this was the way it was handled by the “administration.” Nathan Chaddick deserved to be humiliated in the paper because he certainly knows how to dish it out. And you’re right - If Dennis Williams were still there, none of this would have happened.

- SMG

Posted 10/09/08 08:12 AM

I saw the video,and I must say that this routine is very unapropreate. I don’t go to the school, I live in a completely different state, but I could never see my school approving this type of routine. And for the people who say that the other kids are jealous, what kind of people do you think you are to think someone wants to be like you. That is just stuck up and immature.

- Destiny

Posted 10/09/08 10:00 AM

Violence begets violence. How do you think the girls of the opposing team felt about this. Probably pretty bad, hurt, or maybe even threatened. And whose to say that some of them, maybe all of them, won’t want some type of retaliation or revenge? It was completely out of line for the coaches, teachers and principal to allow this type of cheer at a school. It’s the job of adults to teach teens that this kind of behavior is no good for anyone. The adults should have suggested another type of routine…a quick mock football game where their team wins, a dance off, or here’s a thought how about a REAL CHEER?!?!?!?

- enough is enough

Posted 10/09/08 03:27 PM

I wish people would stop blaming the cheerleaders and administration for this. The cheerleaders didn’t even consider the possibility that anyone would find this skit offensive. The word “execution” didn’t even come into mind when the skit was being thought of. Obviously now, this will never happen again, but the name of Nacogdoches is being looked down upon because of this whole thing. Even if they had thought about the guns being an issue, shouldn’t high school students be able to realize the difference between a skit and reality. I’m not saying that it wasn’t a mistake to use guns in the skit. I am just saying that the Nacogdoches Cheerleaders shouldn’t have to go through being plastered all over the internet saying that they promote school violence. Its just not right.

- Anonymous

Posted 10/09/08 03:43 PM

Distinguished alum. not to get of subject or anything, but isn’t the gamefield used on Thursdays for freshman, jv, or middleschool games? And uhh we’ve asked harper before why our band doesn’t play. he said it’s the band director’s choice… oh yeah and everyone’s taking this way too serious. this will do nothing but make life at nhs horrible for it’s students and faculty. isn’t there a presidential election we should be gearing up for? lol

- tutt

Posted 10/09/08 04:51 PM

Good grief! All this attention to cheerleaders? These girls are irrelevant.All this atteention will just make them feel important, which they are not. When I was in high school half of them were pregnant by graduation. None of the merit scholars were.

- Turtle

Posted 10/09/08 06:48 PM

What a sick bunch of ‘kids’! A skit about execution is not funny at any time or place. What is wrong with them?

- kc

Posted 10/09/08 06:56 PM

What the hell ever happen to using pomp pomps!! OK a bit outdated, but, GUNS,Execution? Where is your humanity? This is not a Skit.It’s crazy!

- insideoutgraphics

Posted 10/09/08 07:46 PM

Omg! they used guns… im surprised no one got shot…

- JG

Posted 10/09/08 08:11 PM

Turtle. Part of this is about the cheerleaders. they are an important part of the schools spirit. Which was the whole point of the skit. the only reason guns were used was because the other team was a rough rider, which is a cowboy. it is definitly not making them feel important, them being splattered on the internet the way they are. and no. none of them are pregnant and none of them are dumb. thats a sterotype that does not fit nacogdoches. and theres nothing “wrong” with them. they’re trying to increase school spirit. maybe it wasnt the best idea, but people need to grow up and get over it.

- Anonymous

Posted 10/09/08 08:29 PM

I am a teacher at a junior high. I think the big problem with all of this is that the principal allowed it to happen. I don’t know where you are from to think that execution is spirit lifting?!?! I can’t believe that it would be deemed acceptable by an authority figure or adult that displays of hatred and crime would be what is needed to boost school spirit and morale. If my child were in this school I would have to be very upset with everyone who allowed this to happen. Just because some or even many kids are exposed to these things doesn’t mean that there aren’t some responsible parents who don’t allow this to be a part of their child’s life. I don’t let violence on tv or in games to be viewed by my daughter. I don’t believe that school should be the place where she learns about this. School is one of the last places where we can find some ethics. God knows there isn’t much in the way of moral ground anymore…. so those of you who think it is acceptable or innocent, do you think that this is the type of world you want your child to believe exists?

- Anonymous

Posted 10/09/08 11:05 PM

I think the point of the skit was to show that kidnapping dragons will not be tolerated. I’m pretty sure that dragon was underage too. How would you feel if someone kidnapped your underage dragon? tutt, I was talking about Thursdays right after school. I’m just saying that’s how it was when I graduated in 05. I think Canniford(sp?) was the one that demanded that the band not play when we had the ball. Go dragons! Hope you guys stomp Henderson…I mean slightly injure… oh wait…I mean, I hope it’s a non-violent game with no tackling, or trashtalking. Are you sure you guys couldn’t just play flag football? Or golf? Football is just way too scary.

- Distinguished Alum

Posted 10/10/08 12:12 AM

turtle you are just about the most ignorant person ever. just because the cheerleaders at your high school are dumb sluts doesn’t mean that they are the same everywhere else. i happen to be friends with some of them and they are very smart. 3 or 4 are even in the top 10% of the class. one is ranked number 6. i can’t believe that someone would be so shallow as to call all cheerleaders dumb. we haven’t had a pregnant cheerleader in more years than i care to count. before you go making judgements you need to get your facts straight. and this isn’t making them feel in the least bit important. many of them have been driven to tears because of the criticism directed towards them at school. how can you say that anyone is irrelevant or unimportant? maybe you should reevaluate your life before you begin to judge other people’s lives

- S

Posted 10/10/08 12:21 AM

The young women on their knees with their hands “tied” behind their backs reminds me of the videos of Americans in the same position just before being beheaded. Innocent fun?

- TS

Posted 10/10/08 09:10 AM

TS obviously thats not what they were trying to portray. it isn’t really fair to try to insinuate that they are imitating terrorists. what i don’t understand is why the petition didn’t include ALL fake weapons used on campus. the drama club frequently uses swords and knives to kill people in their plays. whats the difference?

- anonymous

Posted 10/10/08 09:44 AM

i support the nac “fear” leaders. this skit was not ment to be shown to the whole world. if it was they would have released the video themselves. this has been blow way out of proportion so much that it was featured in the washington newspaper (r u kidding me?) the pep rally was ment for highschool students who should by now know the difference between real life and play. if it would have been left alone no one would have been effend to the point that they have been now. if Drama club can parade around the school with axes and knifes and fake blood shouldnt that be in the petition? they say its not against the cheerleaders so why was the title of the article “fear leaders” or why have pictures of these minors been released to the world wide web where vulgar and unessessary comments are being made about them? Yes all in all it was a mistake but apoligies have been made.when will this stop?

- shelbie

Posted 10/10/08 10:06 AM

First — the skit was in poor taste — and the adult sponsors should have pointed this out prior to the rally; Secondly — the skit involved toy guns which are specifically prohibited in the published student handbook; Third — the principal should not have censored the student editoral that stated the adminstration should have caught/seen the error or potential error in the skit. This would not be the national story that it is if the principal would have simply acknowledged that, although he disagreed, that the skit may have been preceived as “too violent” and with that simple acknowledgement the issue would have faded. However, the principal choose to fight the students and now he has lost. Bravo to the student who spoke up.

- Tx_Goose

Posted 10/10/08 10:26 AM