Four black cheerleaders from Kennesaw State University who made headlines for choosing to kneel during the National Anthem during last year’s football season did not make the team this time around.
According to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, five young women who kneeled during their team’s home game caused a stir at their institution. The site reads that the cheerleaders were banned from the pregame routine for their actions. However, Georgia’s attorney general said that kneeling during the National Anthem was fine to do, as long as it wasn’t disruptive.
While the squad’s tryouts were extremely competitive this year, one of the young women who kneeled, Toomia Dean, said that kneeling is a likely reason why they weren’t chosen for the team.
“I think it played a role because I know my skills, and I had the skills two years prior to that, so I know what I can do,” she said, according to WXIA. “I know the people who made it. I know their skills and I know my skills. But I don’t think it was a skills-based thing. Not to say I’m amazing or anything, but I know my skills and what I had.”
One of the kneelers made the squad this year, but she hasn’t decided whether she will be taking a knee this time around.
“The school said it had just 61 applicants for the squad in 2017,” writes the AJC. “That jumped to more than 95 applicants this year, creating more competition for the 52 available spots on the roster. Of those who tried out, 33 prospective cheerleaders did not make this year’s squad, seven of whom were on the team last year.”
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