Cheerleading coaches and school administrators in a Colorado district were placed on leave, and police opened an investigation amid a series of videos showing high school cheerleaders screaming in pain while being pushed into splits during practice.
The videos show eight cheerleaders at Denver’s East High School repeatedly being pushed into splits while their arms are held up by teammates. In one video, a girl repeatedly asks her coach to “please stop.”
Denver schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg said such practices are prohibited. The East High School principal, an assistant principal, the cheer coach, an assistant cheer coach, and a district lawyer have been placed on leave during the investigation, he said.
