Hunters Lane High School parents and students are accusing that school’s cheerleading coach of mismanaging funds, inappropriately bringing personal matters to practice and exhibiting blatant favoritism.
“This is my first year cheerleading, and due to what’s going on, I will state this will be my last year cheerleading,” Hunters Lane junior Britney Ikeard told the Metro Nashville Board of Education Tuesday night, alongside nine other peers and parents who voiced concerns.
Keniqua Jordan, coach of both football and basketball cheerleading at Hunters Lane, was not in attendance Tuesday to defend herself.
On Tuesday, parents told board members that returning Hunters Lane cheerleaders were required to pay equipment fees adding up to $550 this year. For new cheerleaders, they say the figure was $750.
Nonetheless, parents claim their daughters still haven’t received basic equipment essential such as shoes, socks, rain jackets and practices shorts. In addition, they say they paid $250 for a cheerleading camp that, in the end, never took place.
“We as parents want to know why haven’t our girls received their uniforms –– or where is the money?” parent Stephanie Rankin said.
Concerned parents have called for an audit of the school’s cheerleading program. But Metro school officials say monies collect match the receipts of Hunters Lane’s cheerleading account.
“A cursory review of the expenses indicated that funds were spent for the cheerleaders and there is no missing money,” Hunters Lane principal Susan Kessler told The City Paper via email.
But criticism doesn’t end with the financial situation. In a 30-minute public comments period at Tuesday’s board meeting, students discussed what they’ve perceived as favoritism from the coach toward certain cheerleaders. And some parents said the coach has brought to practice matters that should stay at home.
“She discusses her marriage and divorce to girls,” one mother alleged.
The parent added: “Her husband has come in with a T-shirt on that reads across the front, ‘I used to love her.’ The back says, ‘But now, I pimp her.’ ”
School board member Ed Kindall expressed concern about the matter.
“These are some very serious allegations, when you talk about favoritism, mismanagement of funds and unsupervised students,” Kindall said.
Director of Schools Jesse Register assured the board that school administrators would look further into the situation.