School Gives Her Nothing to Cheer About

A Fountain Valley teen-ager sued school officials for $1 million Wednesday, alleging that she was not chosen for the high school cheerleading squad because her breasts are too large.

The adviser for the squad told Vicki Ann Guest, 17, that she needed breastreduction surgery, according to the lawsuit filed against the Huntington Beach Union School District in Orange County Superior Court.

“She really confused me,” Vicki said in an interview. “I was shocked. I didn’t know what to think.”

The suit, filed by attorney Gloria Allred, asks for a court declaration that Guest’s treatment by a teacher at Fountain Valley High School is unconstitutional sex discrimination. Allred said she filed a separate demand for $1 million in damages from the district for Guest’s emotional distress.

“The school’s policy is sexist, ignorant and dangerous and must be changed,” Allred said.

A spokesperson for the district declined to comment, citing confidentiality of student records and the pending litigation.

But school board member Jerry L. Sullivan said the school principal advised the board of the April incident at a meeting six weeks ago, but the board took no action beyond discussion.

Sullivan said he thinks the parents are “justifiably upset” if the teacher acted as Vicki alleges.

He added that “no one would be stupid enough to create a policy like that . . . and if one surfaces, we’ll get rid of it yesterday, I can tell you that.”

“I think the teacher handled the situation . . . very badly, if the teacher did indeed say that,” Sullivan said. “The teacher might have intimated that, but she certainly did not come out and say, ‘You ought to get breast surgery.’ ”

Vicki’s mother, Ann, said she was “outraged” when she heard what had happened.

“She (Vicki) believed her (the teacher),” the mother said. “She believed that she could not try out for anything until she had breast reduction.”

The teacher, identified in the suit as Jean Clower, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Vicki Guest said she went to see Clower to learn why she had not made the squad.

Clower said she had good grades, and her talent and ability were fine, according to Vicki. The sole reason for the rejection was her breast size, she said.

Clower allegedly repeated the advice to Ann Guest.

“I called her and asked, ‘What’s happening over there?’ ” Ann Guest said. “She told me her (Vicki’s) breasts were too large. She said Vicki should have breast reduction surgery soon.”

Vicki Guest, 5 feet, 2 inches tall and 120 pounds, plans a dancing career. She received a $1,000 scholarship from her school last spring to study dance in Pittsburgh, her mother said.