Wednesday, August 27, 2003

A senior high school student has gone to court to get reinstated as a full-time member of the Westmoreland County school district's varsity cheerleading squad.

Felicia Huffine has a Sept. 4 hearing before Judge Gary Caruso. At the hearing, Huffine will challenge the district's decision to demote her to an alternate on the squad.

Specifically, the suit filed this week by the cheerleader's mother, Cynthia, asks for an injunction that would return her daughter to full-time cheerleader.

In the suit, the demoted teenager contends that because she has been a varsity cheerleader since ninth grade, she is exempt from tryouts and should automatically get a spot on the squad her senior year.

Southmoreland cheerleaders were required to attend a camp in July at Seven Springs and Huffine said that she was told by the cheerleading coach that she would be dismissed from the squad if she missed the camp.

However, both the coach and the assistant coach resigned before the camp was held and Huffine said school district officials gave her a waiver so she could attend a national dance competition. The suit alleges the district then rehired the coach and assistant on July 31, knowing that they would penalize Huffine for not attending cheerleading camp.

The district will defend its decision. Southmoreland Solicitor David Petonic would only comment that Huffine "already is a member of the squad: She is designated as an alternate." Petonic defined an alternate as someone who "would not do all of the stunts that regular member would do."

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