Right or Wrong? - Mock Execution in Cheerleading Skit
Tuesday October 14, 2008
Recently a skit performed by the Nacogdoches, TX high school cheerleaders has raised some question about the appropriateness of guns and violence in cheerleading and schools. The skit started when the cheerleaders dressed as rival Center High School cheerleaders tried to kidnap the Nacogdoches’ mascot. A second group of Nacogdoches cheerleaders came to the rescue of the mascot by forcing the "rival" cheerleaders to kneel in front of them, and armed with fake guns, mockingly shot them execution style.
In You Face Cheers - Right or Wrong?
Nacogdoches principal, Nathan Chaddick, has said of the mock executions, "Everybody enjoyed it and had a good time." He went on to call the skit, "simple, innocent satire." So, what do you think? Was this skit appropriate? Sound off in the comments below.
More Controversy in CheerleadingIn You Face Cheers - Right or Wrong?
Comments
Here we go again, panicking that kids might be endorsing violence. It’s been 25 years since I was in HS- but I remember those skits. Not to mention cowboys and indians from my earlier years. I trust the school officials. If it was obvious satire and the kids had a giggle- fine. We can censor these things to death, eliminate free speech and gain what? Teens need to be teens. Look at all the child stars who were forced to maintain too pure and wholesome of an image for too long- then reached 18 and went wild in all the bad ways. Maybe if they’d had the freedom to express themselves a little earlier, they’d have made normal choices. Relax everybody! A skit does not push kids into violence, gangs or the NRA!
what happens when a child wears a pirate costume or cowboy costume to school, they cant bring fake guns or fake swords to school. zero tolerance in the public schools is for the safety of the children; when depicted through satire a child may feel it is acceptable to weild a real weapon
Beth is right. Give them a break, people are being paranoid about things that they used to do when they were young. Stop trying to baby these kids and let them make their own mistakes. They all have brains let them use them.
It was probably entertaining and fun to watch, but they shouldn’t use violence.
I have to say that What the girls are showing the students at a prep rally should be a non violence skit. I do believe that schools and people in general are way to paranoid and flip to easily at things so innocently minded. But saying that , the old saying that ” someone always ruins it for others.” and unfortunately we are in the times where to many children are taking weapons to school. And it is scary that what they see they really do not know or think of the consequences. It is disturbing that a lot of our ways as a child we can no longer let our children do b/c of Paranoia in everyone. Come on if we have freedom I am not sure where it is.Anymore. I also am a cheerleading coach and I know that I would never let our girls do such a skit. Especially being cheerleaders that’s am awful dark subject. That had to know ( the coach) that there would be consequences for doing such a skit. Thank you and God Bless
Considering the violent nature of culture, however entertaining and innocent it was meant to be, portraying use of weapons during school events, even in jest, is inappropriate and misleading. I agree that 20+ years ago, a mock execution in a school skit would have been received with more lightheartedness. Being the parent of a wounded Virginia Tech student, I can no longer find humor in that type of depiction. I would challenge our youth to find more creative ways to portray their rivalrys and express their school spirit.
Having just last night attended our district finals cheer competition, I was happily yelling, waving and cheering with the rest of our students and families to help support our girls to a victory, however I could never inflict violence or even jokingly express a violent act to win a title.
I completely agree with Maria. With the way things are now we do need to be more careful. I am sure they meant nothing by it but it could easily have been taken a different way. I won’t let my cheerleaders use guns in the funk/hiphop dance they are doing just because of the message it could get across to the other students, even though it would just be for the role play in the dance.
these comments opposing it coming from people who grew up watching Looney Toons where the gun exploded in the hunter’s face practically every episode…