Rah, Rah, Raw Deal

A high school cheerleader in Andrews, Texas, has been booted off the squad. Callie Smartt, 15, is wheelchair-bound, suffering from cerebral palsy, but that didn’t keep her from cheering for her school’s teams last year. But this year, school officials told her to stay away from school games. “If a player is headed in her direction or a ball is headed in her direction or whatever, she could be in danger,” explained Principal Michael Fetner. Callie, though, notes cheering is dangerous in itself, with its leaps and stunts, and wonders if safety really is the problem. Other cheerleaders tell what may be the real reason: they don’t like having to help Callie eat or go to the bathroom if her mother isn’t nearby. “Last year, at the beginning, we thought it was fine for her to be on the team,” said head cheerleader Jennifer Francis. “But then, later on, it was like she was forced on us. We got sick of it.” (AP) ...You’re a real inspiration, Jennifer.