DEER PARK, Texas – A miscommunication between a mother and a Houston-area high school officials that almost prevented a freshman with Down syndrome from cheering appears to be resolved.
Brittany Davila is an honorary cheerleader on the freshman squad at Deer Park High School. Her mother says when they arrived to cheer at an event Tuesday night, school officials told them Brittany could no longer be part of the team because she was a liability.
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"Being a parent of a child with special needs, the last thing you want to hear is your kid is a liability for any reason," said Mrs. Davila.
During a 90-minute meeting inside the school's North Campus on Wednesday, Mrs. Davila says school officials expressed concerns about Brittany's safety during sporting events. What if she was run over by a player on the sidelines? What if she was accidentally hit by the ball?
"She's no more of a safety risk, or however you want to word it, than any of the other cheerleaders that are standing on the sideline," said Mrs. Davila.
In the end, Brittany's mother says a resolution was reached. It addresses the school's concerns and allows Brittany to continue an activity she absolutely loves.
"These kids are people, just like everybody else," said Mrs. Davila. "They don't want to be treated different. They want to be treated just like the rest of the kids that are around them."