2009-06-25

No reversal in BISD cheerleading decision

By Stephanie Parker

Ricky and Lezlie Yurrita, parents of a student in the Bandera Independent School District, lost their level III appeal before BISD Board of Trustees on Thursday, June 18. The Yurritas had attempted to have BISD uphold its cheerleading constitution.

Several other parents also attended the closed session meeting in support of the Yurritas who sought to have a former BISD cheerleading sponsor be reinstated for the 2009-2010 school year and to have the cheerleading constitution upheld. Had they won their level III appeal, it would have eliminated the third or so-called “White” junior varsity team – also derisively referred to as “the turd team.”

Controversy continues to swirl around BISD Superintendent Dr. Kevin Dyes’ decision to allow cheerleaders, who were ousted for allegedly smearing feces in another student’s locker, to tryout for a new third team. The accompanying hullabaloo has resulted in reassigned cheerleading sponsors and several closed session BISD meetings.

According to the district’s cheerleading constitution, cheerleaders suspended during the year are ineligible to tryout the following year. The girls involved in the vandalism – which could have earned them fines and jail times if handled as a criminal complaint – were allowed to tryout for a new third team.

Former Bandera High School Principal Theresa Keel, who supported the cheerleading constitution and ruled against holding new tryouts, was ousted and reassigned within the district.

During Thursday’s meeting, the BISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously not to reinstate the cheerleading sponsor requested by the Yurritas.

With BISD board members Don Miller, Lee Haile, Genevieve Modarelli and Dr. Barbara Skipper casting nay votes, the motion to deny the original cheerleading tryouts as the only tryouts was also narrowly defeated.

Trustees Greg Hicks, Rick Groomer and Laurie Neff voted in favor of the Yurritas’ requested remedy, which would have upheld the district’s cheerleading constitution and abolished the new third team.

The Yurritas have no further appeals left.
However, an appeal brought before the board by Ron and Lisa White, which would allow their freshman daughter to twirl for the 2009-2010 school year, is scheduled for Thursday, June 25.