Normally, some cheerleaders going down a street cheering before a big football game wouldn’t be a problem.
Unfortunately for the squad, they were cheering in an area where police were cracking down on excess noise.
Several dozen cheerleaders were cheering for their team, the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, in London, Ont.
They were chanting “Go ‘Stangs, Go” and throwing one cheerleader up into the air.
It was right before a big homecoming football game against the Queen’s University Golden Gaels.
Police in London, Ont. have a “liquor enforcement and reduction of noise” program called “Project LEARN.”
They felt the group was too boisterous and noisy.
Police issued the head cheerleader a ticket and a $140 fine.
The ticket says the cheerleaders were causing “nuisance in the street by conducting a cheerleading performance.”
In past years, rowdy behaviour by homecoming revellers has caused London’s homecoming parade to be cancelled.
The cheerleaders’ coach doesn’t agree that the cheerleaders should be charged or fined.
The coach told the cheerleaders to spread the word through Twitter and Facebook about the incident.
The police say they will take another look at the incident next Monday.
In the meantime, the cheerleaders’ cheers may have helped their team–the Mustangs went on to beat the Gaels 50 to 31.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
What is a reasonable amount of noise that someone should be allowed too make in public? When does excited become rowdy? Do you believe this type of behaviour is a nuisance and should be policed?
Reading Prompt: Extending Understanding
Have your parents/caregivers ever gotten upset with you for being too loud or rowdy? What did you do? Did you think it was fair? Have you ever watched movies or read books about characters that are too noisy and rambunctious? What happened?
Primary
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge and experience, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Junior
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Intermediate
Extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Grammar Feature: Acronyms
An acronym is a single word that is created by taking the first letters of a title (in their order). Today’s article includes the acronym L.E.A.R.N. Acronyms are a a helpful way to remember longer titles. What acronyms do you know and use? When do you use acronyms? When do you find them to be most useful?
