UPDATE The ritual of cheerleaders at Westport’s Staples High School baking sweets for varsity football players has ended following a story highlighting the practice in the school newspaper Inklings.
Staples cheerleaders baked for football players off the field. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo
Victor Hollenberg, co-editor-in-chief of Inklings, told WestportNow that Staples Principal John Dodig ended the tradition after editors on Wednesday submitted the news section of Inklings containing the story to him for pre-publication review, a normal practice.
In an e-mail message to WestportNow today, Dodig confirmed he had put a halt to the sweets-for-the-players ritual.
“Long before I became the principal of Staples High School, the superintendent of schools prohibited organized baking among cheerleaders for football players,” he said.
“I suppose because there have been so many new cheerleading coaches over the past several years, the coach was not aware of this prohibition, and it began again this year with our athletic drector not knowing about it.
“When Inklings wrote an article about this matter, I informed the athletic director that the coach was not following the superintendent’s directive. He called her, informed her, and told her to cease the practice.
“If this had not already been decided by the superintendent of schools, I would have done the same thing. I don’t believe cheerleaders should be assigned a football player to bake for.”
Hollenberg said rumors about the Inklings article began to spread on Thursday.
“When it finally came out on Friday, it became a polarizing issue—many teachers and some students felt the cheerleaders’ baking was sexist and antiquated, whereas others saw it as a tradition,” he said.
The story led Dodig to end the practice, Hollenberg said, and it touched off a series on comments on the newspaper’s Web site.
“A fair number of cheerleaders and football players are quite angry, and some accused us of fabricating quotes,” said Hollenberg, who added that reporters Alex Nitkin, a senior, and Petey Menz, a junior, have notes and recordings of all of their interviews.
The story highlights freshman Olivia Stanley who, Inklings said, joined the cheerleading team at the beginning of the school year and “didn’t quite know what was to be expected of her.”
It went on: “Now she knows, however, that being on the squad means energizing crowds at home games, executing complicated acrobatic feats with her teammates, and baking for her senior football player.”
Inklings said every Thursday night at the football team’s weekly pasta dinner before their big game on Saturday, Stanley gives senior Alex Mullen a cake she baked herself.
It said her 20 cheerleading teammates did the same for their respective players.
Stanley had not expected to bake for Mullen, but she saw no problem with it, Inklings reported
“At the first pasta dinner, I asked who my player was and then I gave him his cake,” Stanley told the newspaper. “It was fine.”
Inklings said Stanley’s nonchalant attitude towards the practice was similar to that of most cheerleaders, but reported that her mother, Beverly, had a different opinion.
“They never told any of the parents that this would happen,” she said. “…I was walking my dog the other day telling everyone how sexist this is.”
Among the comments on the Inklings story was this one from “anonymous:”
“Inklings had no place in writing this article, having no real idea what is really going on, but I can’t believe you would humiliate a freshman girl like this…This is a school newspaper, not a gossip column.”
But another anonymous poster defended the story.
“I think the article on the cheerleaders’ baking tradition is a legitimate topic of interest,” said the writer. “If it was a gossip article, the words ’sex,’ ‘hookup,’ ‘drinking,’ and ‘drugs’ probably would have appeared and someone would have actually been humiliated.”
Although this may be a trivial subject to concern most people, I am troubled by the comments attributed to Staples principal, Mr. Dodig. He states that prior to his becoming principal of Staples HS, the superintendant had banned the activity and implies that the practice was only begun again this year. Nothing could be farther from the truth. It has gone on yearly, hence the word “tradition” . If Mr. Dodig feels that this is the first year of this activity he is sadly mistaken. Anyone involved in football, cheerleading or simply attending Staples can enlighten him regarding this matter.
Sounds more like tradition than sexism, but in this day and age, it seems to me that you can find wrong with almost anything if you try hard enough; human nature I guess.
At some point we’ll disband everything and all just sit around and do nothing I guess.
One question though, I’m not sure if there are male cheerleaders at Staples, but do they also have to bake? Would they have to bake?
I agree with Beverly. As a woman who came of age in the 60’s and early 70’s, this tradition seems outmoded at best and sexist at worst. And one-sided to boot—unless the football players are reciprocating with candy, flowers or jewelry.
Either this school district is blind to the really significant problems at Staples or it
Picture This…
Fun-loving Foot-powered Razor Scooter Race (with 5 entrants) on campus….Violent CRIME
Peaceful Protest Pony on campus….Violent CRIME
Baking for Football Players…Sexist CRIME
Homecoming Dance Traditions…Sexist CRIME???
Port-a-Toilet on Roof with hours of removal time…CUTE
Illegally Intoxicated Teenagers at Homecoming Game…Hmmm, WHAT TO DO???
PLEASE EXPLAIN!!!!
As a football parent, I pay particular attention to the ‘traditions’ of the football players. From the upperclass treatment of the Freshmen and Sophomores, to the haircuts, to the off-field behaviors.
As the father of two daughters, I am also quite sensitive to the treatment of the ‘girls’, particularly those associated with the program. I simply ask a personal question – how would I feel if my daughters were involved?
In this case, the tradition is not a requirement, but just a tradition. I am confident that if any cheerleader, or even all cheerleaders, expressed a concern to the school, the team, or their Senior player, and opted out, they would be supported. If not, THEN ban the tradition.
Compared to the Homecoming tradition of drinking to the point of hospitalization (and many other dangerous traditions not as well documented), I’ll take this one. At least, to my knowledge (I have not eaten the treats), it is safe.
I thought this article was a joke when I first read it this morning while out of town on business.
With the homecoming debacle, and all the other serious issues facing our kids this is the most ridiculous waste of energy since ….
What next banning jocks as they are sexist accessories? Skirts? Smiling between a guy and gal? Outlaw makeup and perfume?
For crying out loud this is so innocent and traditional what the heck is the administration making the stink about? The above comment has it spot on; make a stink about nothing to detract from the real problems around us… sad but political reality
I surely agree about the act being sexist but am more concerned about the pressure the girls felt to participate even if they would rather not have.
Maybe now we can address the sexist act of football players mothers having too cook and deliver dinner to Staples for the football coaches who are too busy to get their own meals. Is this an acceptable “tradition” too?
So many of our traditions have been lost over the years due to political correctness or claims of sexism. In the case of the cheerleaders
Mr. Hammer,
Let us explain. The “sexism” that you speak of when mentioning that “mothers” of football players make dinner for the coaches is actually an act of kindness! Imagine that!
These coaches spend every Monday night going over film. They leave their families, children and home cooked meals to watch film in a stinky locker room. All because they care about their “other” children here at Staples. They work well into the evening, many times until midnight. The parents, both MEN AND WOMEN (yes! Dads cook!!) volunteer to deliver a meal to them each Monday during the season as a way to thank them for the countless unpaid hours they spend helping our kids succeed on and off the field. When volunteer sheets go around at the beginning of the season, this is the first one to fill up. Imagine that.
Elaine Rankowitz
Ann-Marie Pacilio
Pamela Graber
Denise Lamoureux
Staples Football Moms
I cook dinner at our home most nights (my wife only makes reservations), does this mean I’m being exploited and she’s a sexist?
Agree with you Mr .Crowley. Although according to the principal this tradition has never happened during his tenure. Makes you wonder what else goes on on North Ave. that he is unaware.
What about the cheerleaders wearing an assigned football players’ name on the cheerleaders’ jacket? That seems unbelievably old fashioned and sexist to me. If it isn’t, I would like to be hear an explanation.
I suppose the next tradition to fall will be the presentation of flowers by the senior players to the cheerleaders at the end of season banquet—a token of gratitude and thanks. How sexist a boy giving a girl flowers !!
Sadly and as ridiculous as it may seem – by definition that is sexist Tony.
I can