Silly question that's been bothering me:

[knitter4democracy]

Why are so many college cheerleading teams either all white or predominantly white? Why are the dance teams so white, too?

I helped chaperone our high school band to a local university's Band Day football game last night, and our high school is one of the few truly desegregated schools in the area. I sat there with white students, black students, Latino students, rich, poor, you name it, and we all had a blast, but in watching our young men ogle the dance team, I realized that there was only one African American member of the dance team and not a single African American on the cheerleading team (which was huge!). This was at a university with high numbers of minority students, mind you. When I pointed it out to my students, a few chipped in that there were African Americans on the football team, so that was okay. I disagreed.

Cheerleaders are supposed to be pretty, as are dance team members. Can only white girls be pretty? It got me thinking, and I can't remember seeing many African Americans on any cheer or dance teams when watching football on tv. Is this an area colleges still promote racism in, perhaps without realizing it?

[joycejnr]

1. Darned good question!

Is it because the black cheerleaders don't make it into white-dominated colleges? Does anyone know the scholarship situation for cheerleaders?

[knitter4democracy]

3. The university we attended last night has good numbers.

I can't believe that they don't have any African American students who would be perfect for their cheerleading team. With the size of the school and their enrollment numbers, that beggars the imagination.

I looked it up, and the dance team had open tryouts last spring. Only one African American was deemed worthy of the team? That can't be right.

[immoderate]

2. I think it's because black girls can't dance.

And for one of the few times I want to be sure I'm not misunderstood, -->

--imm

[mzteris]

4. Maybe the realize how silly and vapid

and a waste of valuable time it is to be a cheerleader or on the "dance team". (Those girls can't really dance, btw)

Aren't the AA girls with athletic ability PLAYING SPORTS? Being cheered is infinitely preferable to standing on the sidelines and cheering while looking like a sex toy and being "ogled" by the males.

[knitter4democracy]

6. Our high school's cheer coach and team would disagree.

It is athletic, considering a lot of gymnastics is involved, unless you say gymnastics isn't a sport. They have to lift with the other athletes, stay in top shape, and they have to look cute while doing it (same as gymnasts, really).

Almost all of our cheer team is African American, but should they be denied scholarships and a chance at college just because they don't fit the racially biased version of "cute"? That doesn't seem right, does it?

[mzteris]

8. Then be a gymnast.

Not some cutesy little thing wearing a short short skirt and a bare midriff blouse. I'm not saying they don't have some athletic prowess, I'm saying they're selling themselves short - and selling themselves as more of a sex object than a serious athlete.

I certainly would agree that if AA women are being overlooked because they don't fit the blonde cheesecake version of what a "cheerleader" is supposed to look like is wrong on the face of it. But in the long run, I think they're probably lucky.

Don't cheer someone else. Do something to be cheered FOR!

[knitter4democracy]

9. I don't entirely disagree, but scholarships are at stake.

How many girls are passed over for scholarships because they're not white?

[mzteris]

10. I'm sorry say

That probably happens to a whole damn lot of AA s in a whole lot of arenas besides just cheerleading. Unless, of course, you're a black MALE athlete.

[knitter4democracy]

11. I think that's true.

Disgusting but true.

[Warpy]

5. DAMN good question

A coworker here started up a cheerleading training camp for at risk girls. Her squad competes nationally and is a whole rainbow of talented kids who take the athletic component very, very seriously. And yes, sometimes they've won.

I have no idea why school teams at all levels are still lily white. It's obviously not talent based, so it's just another remaining bastion of Jim Crow and that old color line. Girls of color know better than to bother trying out for school teams so the question just never comes up and the line of white kids with pom poms is never remarked about.

[knitter4democracy]

7. How do we fight it, then?

How do we fight something like this when so many people believe that racism doesn't exist anymore? I've had so many students tell me that it doesn't exist anymore, that racists aren't in power any more, so how do they even know to fight that stereotype? How can we open eyes to what racism is still around like this?

As a teacher, I really wonder about this. I mean, we have the kids read and research and share stories, but honestly, there are so many messages out there saying we've stamped out racism--while it still rears its ugly head. At least this election has opened some of my students' eyes when they hear what RMoney and his side say about our president. Still, how do we educate them that there's still so much to fight?

[SemperEadem]

12. when you have whole school districts

white washing history to the point where they're basically saying slavery was a big kerfuffle over nothing, that explains the attitudes these white student have about there being no more racism.

When they're being taught an alternative reality and an alternative history that never happened, then this is what you're going to get.