cheerleading team took photo w/ & without Downs syndrome teammate. guess which was used officially?

[Demovictory9]

Two Team Photos, One Difference: The Cheerleader With Down Syndrome
A junior high cheerleading team took nearly identical photos with and without Morgyn Arnold. The school called the publication of the photo without her a mistake that is under investigation.






Morgyn Arnold is a natural cheerleader. She grew up supporting her six older siblings at sporting events in Utah and followed in her father’s and sister’s footsteps by becoming a cheerleader herself.

For Morgyn, who has Down syndrome, being on the Shoreline Junior High School cheer squad gave her a chance to make friends and feel included after transferring to the school last summer.

But when the school yearbook came out a few weeks ago, Morgyn, 14, was not in the team’s photo or listed as part of the squad. The school has since apologized for what it called an “error,” but Morgyn’s sister Jordyn Poll said she believed that the exclusion was intentional.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/us/cheerleader-down-syndrome.html

Maddie said she did not remember whether the photographer or the team’s adviser asked Morgyn to sit out of some of the team’s photos, and does not recall receiving an explanation for the action. She thought it was a weird request at the time, she said.

[rsdsharp]

1. Of course the exclusion was intentional.

Otherwise there was no reason to take the second photo. I’m guessing no one suggested taking a photo with “Tiffany” or “Buffy,” or any other member of the squad. Only Morgan.

[Hugin]

18. "... or listed as part of the squad."

This is the clincher that her omission was no mistake as is claimed.

There's probably a clear paper trail on who did what and who wanted what, but, they're hoping it will all blow over during the 'investigation' of why the little different girl was left out of the yearbook photo.

[Solly Mack]

2. Cruel and vicious.

Just plain mean.

[Demovictory9]

11. Agreed. Unbelievably mean thing for adults to do

[ChubbyStar]

3. There is no way for the school to spin this

They used the photograph where she was "asked to sit out" and she was not listed as part of the squad. That is not an "error" that is deliberate exclusion. Why doesn't she have a uni like the rest of the squad? That is another troubling part of this. My God, Morgyn must be crushed over this, it is in the fucking yearbook that can not be changed. This school is SCUM.

[Ilsa]

4. And why is she dressed differently? Was it her choice

to look more casual and not have pom-poms?

[Demovictory9]

12. My question also

[alphafemale]

22. I am guessing it might have been her choice.

Those costumes are generally polyester and itch.

The pompoms could have been a her feet at least even if she did not want the noise in lap.

So I do not know what to say about that.

[LisaL]

24. She is the cheer manager (whatever that means).

Maybe that means a different uniform?

[obamanut2012]

25. The team manager usually has drinks and snacks ready

Helps with supplies ie uniforms, etc., helps the coach with ceratin things. Most high school sports teams have students in these roles. Our track manager in HS was a fellow student, and she earned a Varsity letter with the rest of us.

[Ilsa]

48. Thanks, that explains it. nt

[ChubbyStar]

49. Was your team manager included in your yearbook photo?

[Initech]

5. That's just wrong on so many levels.

[CrackityJones75]

6. Proving once again why dogs are better people.

What the fuck man? How the fuck do people do this shit and live with themselves. This is vomit inducing.

[keithbvadu2]

7. An error. A mistake. Not to the 'real' cheerleaders.

An error. A mistake. Not to the 'real' cheerleaders.

The person who chose the 'right' picture did not know who was on the squad?

[Hugin]

19. Most of the squad knew at the time the photos were taken which picture was yearbook bound.

Many more crocodile smiles in the picture which was used.

It only goes to show, no matter how white the crowd they'll find some reason to hate somebody.

[LisaL]

23. That's absurd. Her family specifically says they don't blame the other girls on the team.

NT

[Hugin]

29. They may not know and if you recall this girl still has to go to school with these people.

Good on them for protecting her innocence.

Why doesn't someone ask the Coach?

[obamanut2012]

26. Yeah, you just pulled that out of nowhere

No proof, and the girl's own family don't blame the squad.

[Hugin]

30. Where's the proof it wasn't a mistake?

Then this whole thread is bullshit.

[Hugin]

32. Oh, and "Morgyn's sister Jordyn Poll said she believed that the exclusion was intentional."

I suppose she doesn't have any proof to feel that way.

QED.

[sarisataka]

35. Are we going to blame Jr High kids

For something they had no control over? You know they were all in on it? The administration makes those decisions; in my HS years no one ever asked my input on which picture to use.

I looked at each face- there are a few differences. Some smile more, a couple less. May have been due to something the photographer said or the kids getting tired of sitting for the picture.

[Hugin]

36. "Morgyn's sister Jordyn Poll said she believed that the exclusion was intentional."

From the article.

I guess I'm not allowed to have an opinion on the matter.

[sarisataka]

39. She said she "believed" it was intentional

I "believe" that as well. That is opinion. You presented it as a statement of fact that they all knew about it. When you state something that isn't obvious as fact, don't be surprised when people ask for proof.

Also the sister did not say or even imply that she believed the other children had anything to do with the picture selection.

[Hugin]

40. It is your opinion that people shouldn't state their opinions without proof when it contradicts your

opinion.

There is no such requirement to have proof for an opinion and if you expect such you are bound to be disappointed often.

[sarisataka]

41. It's too nice outside

If you want to believe 12 and 13 year old kids were all in on a planned cruelty to a classmate, go ahead.

As you said, ironically, they'll find some reason to hate somebody

Have a great day

[gulliver]

8. I'm opposed to using photos with children in them for stories like this.

All of the those girls in both pictures don't need to have their faces in the New York Times over this. It's too much emotional pressure to put on a child. Just report the story and leave the pictures out. Putting the actual children's pictures in the story is child abuse if they all didn't give consent through their parents (and I doubt very much they did).

[Demovictory9]

44. dailymail blurred their faces

[ismnotwasm]

9. So much...Caucasian. Just an observation

[Disaffected]

10. No prob,

it was just an error.

[ChubbyStar]

17. I Googled the school and checked out the staff

Let's just say there is little to no diversity.

[Sympthsical]

38. Some suburbs are like that

My burb growing up was something like 97% white (not even kidding). In a school of 1,200, we had exactly two black people.

It's been diversifying in the last twenty years - mainly Latino and Asian. Just glanced at the census info for it. It's still 2% black.

This was around Chicago, where suburbs are often highly segregated. "Oh, that's a white suburb. Oh, that's a black suburb."

People think of Chicago as highly diverse. It is. But that diversity does not necessarily live near each other.

Edit: Yep, just looked. Layton, Utah. 90% white as of the 2010 census.

But also, Utah.

[cinematicdiversions]

56. Maybe it is an all white area of the country? Nt

[JI7]

13. Also even in the pic with her why doesn't she have pom poms or whatever those things are called ?

[Captain Zero]

14. and the same costume? and in the middle of the middle row?

Some inclusion that is. NOT.

[obamanut2012]

28. She is the team manager, not a cheerleader

[Captain Zero]

15. Love the background, windows, aluminum siding, AND cinder block.

nt

[sarisataka]

16. Obviously there was an error

The photographer was supposed to delete the first photo so there wouldn't have been any evidence.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

20. People who aren't smiling in the upper picture are smiling in the lower picture. NT

[Vinca]

21. Why would they even take 2 different photos? That's just mean and nasty.

[Treefrog]

27. No girls of color on this team at all?

All I see are white girls.

[JI7]

33. It's in Utah

[Treefrog]

34. Are there no people of color in Utah?

I’ve never lived in a place without people of color, but then I’ve never lived in Utah.

[jmowreader]

43. Very, very few

Idaho is the same way.

War story follows: a few weeks before I went to basic training, the results of the 1980 census were published. Then I got to basic and the head drill sergeant for my platoon was SFC John Cloud, who was very dark skinned...when they started calling people with African ancestry “black,” they were thinking of this guy. He asked me where I was from.

“Idaho, sergeant.”
“You probably haven’t ever seen a black person in your life before, have you?”
“Sergeant, the results of the Idaho census just came out.”
“What did it say?”
“There are 17 black people in the whole state, Sergeant.”

He got a huge laugh out of that one.

[obamanut2012]

31. For everyone talking about how white the pic is, this is Utah

Layton, UT is approximately 90% white, and less than 1.5% black. There is plenty wrong with this, but diversity is lacking alllll over Utah (and other western states), not just on the Shoreline Junior High cheerleading team.

[BradAllison]

57. I've been to Layton twice when I lived in Utah.

It's pretty much on brand for the rest of Utah.

[MineralMan]

37. Disgusting! Whoever made that decision should be removed

from anything connected to the school's yearbook.

I can't believe they even took two photos, eliminating her in one of them. That was a decision by an adult with some real issues that should be addressed.

[Azathoth]

42. Context is everything

It all comes down to whether she was actually on the squad or not. It's possible there was an understanding she could participate with the squad to make friends and support her school, but she wasn't actually considered a member expected to do all the cheers, which would explain why she appears to be wearing gym clothes rather than a uniform.

If this were the case, then the photo including her was likely intended as a personal keepsake for her and her friends, rather than the team's official yearbook portrait.

The other possibility, of course, is that she was actually on the squad and the school is lower than scum.

[Demovictory9]

59. agreed... probably need context.

[Captain Stern]

45. Just two photos?....C'mon folks, this isn't 1985.

It's not like they were using up rolls of film.

They most likely took dozens of photos and then somebody went through each and every one of them, and picked one. One where nobody was looking away from the camera, or had their eyes closed, etc.

That said, whoever was in charge of making the decision(s) there, decided poorly.

Since you can actually take a zillion pictures at hardly any cost, it shouldn't have been that difficult to find a good one with Morgyn in it.

[LisaL]

47. I sincerely doubt that theory, since whoever in charge decided they needed to take photos without

her.

[Captain Stern]

50. What theory? Do you actually just think they took only two photos?

That's just silly.

Nobody does that....much less a professional photographer.

[EndlessWire]

46. Sigh

Another sign of regression.

How can there be any logical spin of this? What is all this BS about she was/wasn't part of the squad? Why didn't so much as one of the other teammates refuse to be in the picture without Morgyn? I guess 13 and 14-year-olds do what they are told. That's their excuse. Who decided to tell the photographer to take one more pic?

They better add the nomenclature to the first pic and wrap it up. This won't change the pain already inflicted, but it will help. I just think that if you are not going all in on participation by someone, don't lead them on. Have a clear policy. But, don't accept all that heartfelt friendship and them stick a knife in their back by excluding them from the pictures. Do they think that little girl doesn't understand? She does! Boy, does she!

I guess this is a teaching moment for the whole squad.

[ChubbyStar]

51. Indeed, but it was just an "error."

The damage has been done. Really tragic.

[USALiberal]

52. Kick

[lindysalsagal]

53. Why do we even have cheer leaders in the 21st century?

Put them into sports teams and burn the effing pom-poms.

[BradAllison]

54. Don't tell a cheerleader it's not a sport

DON'T.

[ChubbyStar]

55. Well if you say so!

[BradAllison]

58. I do it out of concern n/m

[ChubbyStar]

60. Do they get violent?

I don't understand your concern.

[BradAllison]

61. Ok ok....you killed the joke....

Yeah, they're very protective of it....