TX: Cheerleader dropped from squad for not cheering sexual assailant, must pay up by court - Polidicks

Copy pasta from Pam's House Blend: And if that doesn't blow your mind and put you into a rage, the teenager must pay compensation to the school -- $45K -- after the legal challenge. (from [URL="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cheerleader-must-compensate-school-that-told-her-to-clap-rapist-2278522.html"]The Independent[/URL]): [quote]The United States Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a review of the case brought by the woman, who is known only as HS. Lower courts had ruled that she was speaking for the school, rather than for herself, when serving on a cheerleading squad - meaning that she had no right to stay silent when coaches told her to applaud. She was 16 when she said she had been raped at a house party attended by dozens of fellow students from Silsbee High School, in south-east Texas. One of her alleged assailants, a student athlete called Rakheem Bolton, was arrested, with two other young men.[/quote]As usual, this tale does not favor the victim in the least. Bolton was not charged with rape and copped a plea to misdemeanor assault. That charge allowed Bolton to return to school -- and the basketball team. So when the victim traveled to a basketball game in January 2009 to cheer on Silsbee's team, she participated in cheers and when Bolton was attempting a free throw, she stood silently with her arms folded. And then she was punished: [quote]Richard Bain, the school superintendent in the sport-obsessed small town, saw things differently. He told HS to leave the gymnasium. Outside, he told her she was required to cheer for Bolton. When the girl said she was unwilling to endorse a man who had sexually assaulted her, she was expelled from the cheerleading squad.[/quote]Her parents sued, saying the teenager's free speech rights were violated when the coach demanded she cheer for her rapist. Two courts ruled against her, arguing: [quote]"As a cheerleader, HS served as a mouthpiece through which [the school district] could disseminate speech - namely, support for its athletic teams," the appeals court decision says. "This act constituted substantial interference with the work of the school because, as a cheerleader, HS was at the basketball game for the purpose of cheering, a position she undertook voluntarily."[/quote]And with that, came the $45K fine for filing a "frivilous" lawsuit. What the actual fuck is going on in Texas? Basketball, oh hell, team sports are so important that rapists and schools can run roughshod over the right of a teen girl's rights? It's disgusting. the [URL="http://silsbeeisd.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1514325/File/SHS%20Student%20Handbook2010%20%284%29.pdf"]Silsbee High School Code of Conduct [/URL] reflects the problem: [quote]At the link below is the latest online-available Code of Student Conduct for Silsbee High School. It states, among other things, that a student who copies school computer programs will face very serious school discipline and legal consequences. [B]That is to say, Silsbee High takes the copying of its computer programs more seriously than the rape of one of its students.[/B][/quote]Sources: [URL]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cheerleader-must-compensate-school-that-told-her-to-clap-rapist-2278522.html[/URL] [url]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/03/MNSI1JAT0E.DTL[/url] [url]http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/05/04/newsflash-cheerleader-denied-justice-again/[/url]

:wtc: So some one gets dropped from a cheer leader squad for refusing to applaud for some one who RAPED HER! And the courts don't see this as an infringement of freedom of speech?

What did you expect. It's Texas.

If she was raped by him why the fuck would she stay in the same school let alone stay on the cheer team while he's playing for the school? And as bad as getting raped is, a cheerleaders job is to cheer, it didn't matter who she didn't cheer for it was the fact that she refused to cheer for her school. It isn't freedom of speech if you put your own monologue in the school play, neither is it when you ignore practiced routines that you're supposed to be doing in an extra curricular activity. If she didn't want to cheer for him quit the fucking cheer team. The rest of the team worked their ass off to make their school look good and you're sitting there with your arms crossed. [editline]6th May 2011[/editline] Oh, and just saying, when you bring somebody into court and lose, you generally pay legal fees. From a legal stand point she had no case. If they didn't want to risk having to pay them they shouldn't have taken the school to court.

[QUOTE=Bigby Wolf;29663454]If she was raped by him why the fuck would she stay in the same school let alone stay on the cheer team while he's playing for the school? And as bad as getting raped is, a cheerleaders job is to cheer, it didn't matter who she didn't cheer for it was the fact that she refused to cheer for her school. It isn't freedom of speech if you put your own monologue in the school play, neither is it when you ignore practiced routines that you're supposed to be doing in an extra curricular activity. If she didn't want to cheer for him quit the fucking cheer team. The rest of the team worked their ass off to make their school look good and you're sitting there with your arms crossed. [editline]6th May 2011[/editline] Oh, and just saying, when you bring somebody into court and lose, you generally pay legal fees. From a legal stand point she had no case. If they didn't want to risk having to pay them they shouldn't have taken the school to court.[/QUOTE] Because obviously when you get raped you're the one who should get out.

RAGE

Aren't sports cults just wonderful? Because who cares that they're a group of useless, petulant, credulous wretches, they can throw balls around. Fuck the rape victim, we need to beat that other group of useless, petulant, credulous wretches so that we can say we're the best.

As long as the law cares, the guy is innocent. Secondly, that mouthpiece explanation is actually pretty good.

I know a kid who goes to Silsbee High School! But that's really fucked up, I can understand where they would be coming from if she were a professional cheerleader and this was her contract, and even then it would be immoral. But this is ridiculous, it's a high school. Even though it was never proven he raped her, she doesn't feel comfortable around him and shouldn't be forced to support him.

Being forced to cheer for a rapist. Wow. Just when I thought the world had an inkling of hope.

American educational system in a nutshell

[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;29663642]Aren't sports cults just wonderful? Because who cares that they're a group of useless, petulant, credulous wretches, they can throw balls around. Fuck the rape victim, we need to beat that other group of useless, petulant, credulous wretches so that we can say we're the best.[/QUOTE] I think that's a little harsh and unjustified...

[QUOTE=iPat;29663709]I think that's a little harsh and unjustified...[/QUOTE] Then you're naive.

I'm pretty sure this story is, for the [i]most[/i] part, late. Only the 'Supreme Court denying to hear her case' part is new. So I guess it's all good. some more on the story: [url]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/03/MNSI1JAT0E.DTL[/url] [url]http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/05/04/newsflash-cheerleader-denied-justice-again/[/url] So, basically: -she gets raped -the guy gets off pretty much scot-free -she gets expelled from the cheer team for not cheering for him -she sues -her case is denied -she takes it to the supreme court -denied again -she has to pay legal compensation Stay classy, Texas.

Again, ashamed of my state.

Guys, don't just assume the dude is a rapist, despite what she says, that's why we have trials. Her job as a cheerleader is to cheer. She has to right to stay silent, but not as a cheerleader.

East Texas, thank god I don't live there.

I understand this whole idea of forfitting free speech when during the time that you are paid by an institution to express certain views. What I cannot understand is why the school would be so insensitive as to expect her to cheer on her rapists. sickening.

[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;29663732]Then you're naive.[/QUOTE] I think you're the naive one. I've played sports all my life and definitely wouldn't consider myself any of those adjectives. The vast majority of people who play simply do it for fun and camaraderie and don't develop massive egos or rape people.

...And thats why they say: "Don't mess with Texas!" But really, what the fuck is up with Texas lately.

[QUOTE=MountainWatcher;29663746]Guys, don't just assume the dude is a rapist, despite what she says, that's why we have trials. Her job as a cheerleader is to cheer. She has to right to stay silent, but not as a cheerleader.[/QUOTE] So why was he charged for misdemeanour assault?

[QUOTE=MountainWatcher;29663746]Guys, don't just assume the dude is a rapist, despite what she says, that's why we have trials. Her job as a cheerleader is to cheer. She has to right to stay silent, but not as a cheerleader.[/QUOTE] I agree. But everyone who thinks they have high morals think that because she says the guy did it he automatically did. When she signed up to be a cheerleader she was basically signing up to cheer. I don't know about her having to pay a fine other than to her lawyer, but I think being expelled from cheering is fine, it's not death, and it's not expelled from school. [editline]7th May 2011[/editline] Wait why was she even at the game where the guy who raped her was.

[QUOTE=ChilColdCoolaid;29663564]Because obviously when you get raped you're the one who should get out.[/QUOTE] I never said it was right, it's what the court said. The legal system in America sucks deal with it

[QUOTE=iPat;29663780]I think you're the naive one. I've played sports all my life and definitely wouldn't consider myself any of those adjectives. The vast majority of people who play simply do it for fun and camaraderie and don't develop massive egos or rape people.[/QUOTE] It's really more about the self-attributed importance from society, and by extension, the players. It's fucking ridiculous how so much energy and so many resources are spent so a bunch of people get to watch a bunch of dudes run around kicking a ball. Bloody damn retarded.

[QUOTE=MountainWatcher;29663875]It's really more about the self-attributed importance from society, and by extension, the players. It's fucking ridiculous how so much energy and so many resources are spent so a bunch of people get to watch a bunch of dudes run around kicking a ball. Bloody damn retarded.[/QUOTE] Now that I can understand a little more. A lot of people who feel "superior" derive that from athletic success. Now having said that, I don't think they're "bloody damn retarded", because obviously there's something I and billions of others enjoy about kicking, passing, or running with a ball. It's about the spirit of competition, and it's an excellent outlet for energy. Pro athletes make way too much, of course, but this is getting far too off topic, so I'll stop derailing this thread.

I kind of agree with the judges on this one. She may have a grudge against the guy, but she knowingly went on the trip to cheer for the basketball team. That being said, perhaps an elective such as cheerleading should be made more like other electives (chess club, drama, debate) in the sense that you can back out more easily if you feel pressured into doing something that makes you feel uncomfortable.

[QUOTE=Bigby Wolf;29663871]Hey dumbass, I never said it was right, it's what the court said. The legal system in America sucks deal with it[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Bigby Wolf;29663454]If she was raped by him why the fuck would she stay in the same school let alone stay on the cheer team while he's playing for the school?[/QUOTE] That sounds a lot like "she's the one who should get out" to me. With the "mouthpiece" thing: She's one girl on a team of many, not cheering for one guy. Oh yeah, the school's reputation was [b]so[/b] hurt by that.

[QUOTE=Natahster;29663814]I agree. But everyone who thinks they have high morals think that because she says the guy did it he automatically did. When she signed up to be a cheerleader she was basically signing up to cheer. I don't know about her having to pay a fine other than to her lawyer, but I think being expelled from cheering is fine, it's not death, and it's not expelled from school. [editline]7th May 2011[/editline] Wait why was she even at the game where the guy who raped her was.[/QUOTE] They knowingly took the school to court twice. There's no reason for them to not pay the court fees. [editline]6th May 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=Last or First;29664019]That sounds a lot like "she's the one who should get out" to me. With the "mouthpiece" thing: She's one girl on a team of many, not cheering for one guy. Oh yeah, the school's reputation was [b]so[/b] hurt by that.[/QUOTE] No shit it's saying she should get out of the school. The court ruled that he didn't rape her, so he stayed in the school. What's the next logical course of action, leave the school, or continue to stay on the cheer team with him playing basketball?

Texas is retarded

[QUOTE=Bigby Wolf;29664112] No shit it's saying she should get out of the school. The court ruled that he didn't rape her, so he stayed in the school. What's the next logical course of action, leave the school, or continue to stay on the cheer team with him playing basketball?[/QUOTE]What I want to know is if the court ruled that he didn't rape her, then what was the misdemeanour assault for?