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House approves ban of risque cheerleading


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05/04/2005

 

By APRIL CASTRO / Associated Press

 

 

Sideline booty-shakin' at Texas high school football games would be restricted to more ladylike performances from the cheering squad, under legislation approved Tuesday by the Texas House.

 

The bill would prohibit "overtly sexually suggestive" routines at school-sponsored events, giving the state education commissioner authority to request that school districts review performances.

 

"Girls can get out and do all of these overly sexually performances and we applaud them and that's not right," said Democratic Rep. Al Edwards of Houston, who filed the legislation.

 

Edwards argued that lascivious exhibitions are a distraction for high school students that result in pregnancies, high school dropouts, contraction of AIDS and herpes and "cutting off their youthful life at an early age."

 

Bawdy performances are not defined in the bill, which was approved on a 65-56 vote.

 

"Any adult that's been involved with sex in their lives, they know it when they see it," Edwards said.

 

In a state known for its reverence of Friday-night football, Edwards said he filed the legislation after seeing too many ribald routines by young girls in his district.

 

Opponents, including the American Civil Liberties Union, say the measure is unnecessary because state law already prohibits public lewdness by students on or near a school campus.

 

Critics also argue that the difference between suggestive dancing and artistic expression can be difficult to determine.

 

Several lawmakers periodically waved pompoms in debate that was alternately comical and fiery.

 

"How is this bill advancing the agenda of the people? Have we done anything about stem cell research to help people who are dying and are sick advance their health? No," said Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston. "Have we done anything about the mentally ill, school finance or ethics?

 

"This is a ridiculous bill ... I don't know how this bill got to the floor. It's stupid."

 

Members of the state's cheerleading community say cheering competitions already penalize for suggestive movements or vulgarity.

 

But, proponents say they like the measure because it gives parents support in addressing their teenagers' behavior.

 

"I think that to have suggestive performances is not good for the girls or the guys at a time in life when hormones are already very active," said Cathie Adams, president of the Texas Eagle Forum, a conservative watchdog group that favors the proposal.

 

"I think that there are plenty of ways to show artistic expression without movement that mimics sensual behavior."

 

Although cheerleaders must meet the same no-pass, no-play academic requirements of athletes, cheerleading is not a competition sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League, the governing body of Texas high school sports.

 

The UIL also does not have performance regulations for squads who cheer for their teams at state championships.

 

The measure still must be approved by the Senate and sent to the governor's desk before it can become law.

 

___

 

The bill is HB1476

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Sideline booty-shakin' at Texas high school football games would be restricted to more ladylike performances

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Define "ladylike." Are the girls now supposed to wear Victorian-era dresses, twirling white-lace umbrellas instead of pom-poms!?

 

I agree with Rep. Thompson. This is a stupid piece of legislation.

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So who decides what is overtly sexual? What one considers dancing, someone else will consider sexually explicit..I think this is a symbolic measure that really will not be able to be enforced.

 

I can see it now

 

Texas Law Section 3.A

a cherrleader may do one booty shake per quarter as long as her arms are at least 6-8 inches away from her waist. Accidental booty shaking will be punished if it is recurring.

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Originally posted by TxEaglecaller

So who decides what is overtly sexual? What one considers dancing, someone else will consider sexually explicit..I think this is a symbolic measure that really will not be able to be enforced.

 

I can see it now

 

Texas Law Section 3.A

a cherrleader may do one booty shake per quarter as long as her arms are at least 6-8 inches away from her waist. Accidental booty shaking will be punished if it is recurring.

 

totally agree who is to deem what is too much? because me and old man river probably have a different view on the subject

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I think it is ridiculous that politicians even thought about passing this bill. Who's making the decision on what is overly suggestive and what isn't? There will never be a time when everyone is completely satisfied either way. There are some things that politicians need to stay out of. What's next?

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Originally posted by Voted4Dubya

yeah I saw a pic of Tommy Merritt celebrating or something when the law passed. That dude is so stupid, he is the worst politician ever, besides Clinton.

 

Tommy Merrittt might want to worry about problems closer to home...

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Originally posted by BoBellCrew
Originally posted by Voted4Dubya

yeah I saw a pic of Tommy Merritt celebrating or something when the law passed. That dude is so stupid, he is the worst politician ever, besides Clinton.

 

Tommy Merrittt might want to worry about problems closer to home...

like his habits...

...he used to come in the restaurant I worked at all the time...very rude.

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Originally posted by Voted4Dubya
Originally posted by BoBellCrew
Originally posted by Voted4Dubya

yeah I saw a pic of Tommy Merritt celebrating or something when the law passed. That dude is so stupid, he is the worst politician ever, besides Clinton.

 

Tommy Merrittt might want to worry about problems closer to home...

like his habits...

...he used to come in the restaurant I worked at all the time...very rude.

 

I'm pretty familiar with one of his family members. Doesn't make much sense to legislate morality on everybody else and not enforce it at home.

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still its part of east texas football i mean the girls perform at halftime and they want our attention how else than to get a sexy dance together frankly i dont mind the dancin and i think this law is just crazy and im at a loss of words, ive never seen cheerleaders dance at halftime and then i or them immediatley go have sex!!!! has anyone else on here seen that???and if this congressman has daughters my bet is they didnt make the squad in there years of highschool or sometime lately and he just has a stick up his ***!!!congress needs to put there powers to better use cuz pickin on highschool cheerleaders is not the way to use it. and if u dont like the dancin dont watch simple as that u dont have to deprive these girls dancin the way they want to

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Originally posted by oldsot
Originally posted by Sideliner05

this is stupid...i wanna see hott girls dance...

 

As long as they don't bring poles on to the sidelines we will be ok...;)

.

.

.

:cat:

 

Well...that's where i stood so that would've been kinda cool...:w00t:

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Yep, let's not worry about school finance, taxes, the jobless and homeless and getting people off of wellfare.....

 

Hey, I got it! Take all the people looking for jobs and make them the official state of Texas "cheerleader dance monitors".

 

I can't believe that these people worrying about cheerleaders even got elected to a public office. What a waste of taxpayer money.

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Originally posted by Gunslinger

Yep, let's not worry about school finance, taxes, the jobless and homeless and getting people off of wellfare.....

 

Hey, I got it! Take all the people looking for jobs and make them the official state of Texas "cheerleader dance monitors".

 

I can't believe that these people worrying about cheerleaders even got elected to a public office. What a waste of taxpayer money.

most people are homeless because they choose to be that way

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