Jury Not Unanimous in Cheerleader’s Case

In response to your recent article regarding the sexual discrimination lawsuit against the Irvine School District by ex-cheerleader Melissa Fontes, I still find it difficult to understand why one sports activity (non-academic) would be treated differently than another. High school athletes have just as much social exposure and responsibility as do cheerleaders, so why would they be held to different requirements?

I’m sure that Melissa Fontes must have felt her high-school years ruined by the rigidity she encountered in the inflexible school officials.

I’m shocked that obvious sexually discriminating standards are still held in our public schools in something as everyday as high-school cheerleading.

In addition, that even on the most basic levels our children (somehow we have forgotten that these are young people, not adults) have to face discrimination, prejudice, intolerance (from those) who are actually paid to help them access the educational system (including extracurricular activities). Requirements and rules are meant to be guidelines, not punishment or exclusionary to one group.

I am appalled at Judge Gardner’s lack of fairness and caustic comments to Ms. Fontes. I doubt he champions equal rights for women as he so claims, or as he so inappropriately and offensively referred to as the “dirty end of the stick from men.”

If Judge Gardner doubts the public profile and leadership role of male athletes vs. female cheerleaders, I suggest he look at the attention that football players get when recruiting for college, prestige received at school, and the attention male professional athletes receive.

Moral standards should be universal to the student body as a whole, if indeed the subject of moral standards is even appropriate as a criterion for high school activities.

PAT ROMEY

Irvine