Three Cheers for a Criminal?

Silsbee, TX, has an interesting way of treating teenage rape victims.

One of its high school school cheerleaders was gang-raped by students at the campus. Only one of the boys who was accused was actually convicted—of a lesser charge, misdemeanor assault—and was later allowed to return to school and participate in athletics.

The school's cheerleaders routinely cheer for individual players during games, but the rape victim refused to cheer for the teen convicted of assaulting her. Consequently, she was kicked off the cheerleading squad.

Her parents sued the school, contending that her First Amendments rights were violated. The courts disagreed and ordered her to pay the school's legal fees of $35,000.

Why would the school allow the boy convicted of assault to participate in an athletic program and kick his victim off the cheerleader squad when she refused to cheer for him?

Should school officials demand that this young lady pay their legal fees?

The Moms Council offers its opinions on the topic.

Jen Crocker: No, the family should not pay legal fees. Who knows if the boy is that valuable to the school? But I feel any cheerleader should not have to cheer a specific player but cheer for the overall team.

Julie Flores: I fear this is only a symptom of the attitude toward women in our current political climate. This is evidenced by the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling against the class-action lawsuit brought by women against Walmart, the GOP's attempt to redefine rape and its work to defund Planned Parenthood. There seems to be a shift in how this country values its female population.

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