Death Threats Made Over Picking of Cheerleaders

An uproar over how cheerleaders are picked at a Canyon Country high school has led to death threats against a school administrator and his family, sheriff’s deputies said Friday.

“It’s funny, but high school stuff, football and cheerleading . . . it becomes extremely emotional for some parents,” said sheriff’s Detective Ken Kyle, who is investigating four telephone calls received by Denny Thompson, Canyon High School vice principal.

Thompson reported that in the first call, received April 15, a man’s voice said: “If the decisions regarding the cheerleaders are not changed, you or someone in your family will die.” Kyle said he has no suspects, but added: “It’s natural to assume that it could be a friend or family member” of one of the students involved. “I guess there’s about a 1-in-100 chance that it’s legitimate, so we have to take it seriously,” the detective said.