A Layton, Utah teen with Down Syndrome was reportedly edited out of a cheerleading photo that was used for her school’s yearbook.
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14-year-old Morgyn Arnold is a member of Shoreline Junior High’s cheerleading squad and has the role of team manager. However, several weeks after she took a group photo for the school’s yearbook, her sister, Jordyn Poll, said Morgyn noticed there was a huge difference in the picture. “Morgyn is very intelligent. She knew what happened. She was sad, and she was hurt,” she said in a statement to the Salt Lake Tribune.
Poll also used her social media platforms to inform the public about what the school did to her sister. She believes Morgyn was removed from the photo due to her disability despite dedicating her time to learn cheerleading routines and attending school events. She added that this is the second time the school has reportedly left her sister out of the yearbook.
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“[Morgyn] spent hours learning dances, showing up to games, and cheering on her school and friends but was left out. I hope that no one ever has to experience the heartbreak that comes when the person they love comes home from school devastated and shows them that they’re not in the picture with their team.“t’s the SAME cheer team — SAME girls, SAME photo shoot, SAME poses, but one included all team members and one did not. A choice was made on which photo to submit.
Since the post went viral, Shoreline Junior High has issued an apology on its official Facebook page. It reads “We are deeply saddened by the mistake that was made that omitted a student photo out of the yearbook. Apologies have been made to the family, and we sincerely apologize to all others impacted by this error. We are continuing to look at what has occurred, and to improve our practice.”
SOURCE: Salt Lake Tribune