Cheerleaders Skip Game, Are Benched

Pep squad members at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach seemed to have forgotten the meaning of school spirit when they voted to skip cheering at a recent football game at Centennial High School in Compton because they were concerned about their safety.

And for that lapse, those who stuck to their decision had to sit out another game Friday.

When Principal John Giovati heard of their decision to pass on the Oct. 11 game he told them that if they didn’t cheer at Centennial they would be suspended from cheering at last Friday’s game against El Segundo.

Giovati said Centennial High School has always provided a safe environment for games. He said it was important to discipline the students because they had a responsibility to their school and team and should not be allowed to back out of that responsibility whenever they feel like it.

“I didn’t want our school to be considered an elitist, upper middle-class beach community,” Giovati said.

“That is not an accurate reflection of what this school is about [and] it was important to take action because we do not want to be portrayed that way.”

After Giovati announced the punishment, only six members of the 12-person squad opted to sit out.