Cheering a Court Decision?
February 9th, 2009 - byLast week the Wisconsin Supreme Court made a landmark ruling by declaring that Cheerleading is classified as a contact sport. The court ruled that a former high school cheerleader cannot sue a teammate who failed to stop her fall while she practiced a stunt.
More interestingly, the ruling could have major consequences in women’s college athletics and the application of Title IX Law. Title IX is the law that famously mandated that university offer the same number of men’s and women’s scholarships. Those numbers do not currently include sports like cheerleading. This ruling may open the door for colleges to add cheerleading scholarships to their women’s tally. This would of course take away another scholarship opportunity in another sport. Here is the in depth legal breakdown.
Should cheer leading be considered a college sport? Should a softball program be cut for a cheer leading program? Which sports take priority? What do you think?
