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HS cheerleader turned away from competition

Posted at 9:11 PM, Dec 07, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-07 23:11:41-05

A southern Colorado school's cheerleader wasn't allowed to compete in a high school competition, and this could be a case of discrimination.

Rachael is a freshman at Hoehne High School. She's developmentally disabled, and even though she's been at every practice so far this school year, her mother says Rachael wasn't allowed in a tournament last week.

Her parents met with the superintendent. Neither side wanted to speak on camera after that meeting Monday.

The competition was caught on camera. Rachael walks onto stage to compete in front of a packed house. Suddenly, one of the girls turns her away and helps Rachael off stage.

The video shows her throw up her hands in confusion. Rachael's mother said it was only the night before the competition when she was alerted that her daughter may not be allowed to compete.

CHSAA, the state organization that sanctions high school events like this ones, is waiting on the outcome from the superintendent meeting before getting involved.