10PM: Highland cheerleaders kicked out of try-outs due to too many absences

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SALT LAKE CITY — Some Highland High School cheerleaders and their parents are furious after they were told they could not try out for the squad for this coming school year. The Highland High School administration says it's because the girls have too many unexcused absences.

Four girls who were on the team last season say they were unaware of how many unexcused absences they had accumulated. But the school says they gave them a constitution that they signed that says no more than 18 unexcused absences are allowed. The girls are now asking for a compromise.

When you work so hard for something and it's just taken away, I think that's one of the biggest things. –Ellery Harris, former Highland cheerleader

"When you work so hard for something and it's just taken away, I think that's one of the biggest things," said Ellery Harris, one of the former Highland High cheerleaders.

It would have been Harris's senior and final year on the Highland High School cheer squad, but she says two days before tryouts she and three other girls were told they no longer qualified.

"We were told at tryouts that we had all these unexcused absences," said Dani Lloyd, another former Highland cheerleader.

The principal of Highland High School, Paul Schulte, says on March 13 the girls and their parents were given a contract. It clearly states "candidates who try out must not have more than 18 unexcused absences."

Four absences per class per quarter. In other words, you could get up to three absences in all eight classes and we won't ever call you because it meets the threshold, –Paul Schulte, Highland High principal

"The students were also on the squad last year and the constitution was in place last year as well," Schulte said.

The girls do admit they were wrong and that they learned a lesson.

"Definitely not to miss school," Harris said.

But parents say they should have been notified of all the absences.

"If they have a certain amount of absences they're supposed to be notified and put on probation," said Heather Lloyd, Dani's mother. "Well none of these girls were."

Schulte explains why it's easy to fall under the radar.

"Four absences per class per quarter. In other words, you could get up to three absences in all eight classes and we won't ever call you because it meets the threshold," Schulte said.

But added up, it's a lot more than the allotted 18.

"I might go to another school and try out for that cheer team," Dani Lloyd said.

The girls asked the school to put them on probation so they could still try out, but the school says they would have to make exceptions for other students as well.

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