Special Needs News: Honorary Cheerleader With Down Syndrome Allowed On The Field After Online Controversy

A girl with Down syndrome will now be able to cheer for her high school football team on the field after an online controversy. Grace Key reportedly spent all summer practicing cheerleading, yet was shown in a video posted on social media in full cheerleading uniform, but separated from other cheerleaders by a fence. Calhoun High School has named the student with Down syndrome as an honorary cheerleader.

Camille Echols, a friend of Grace' sister, Cara, posted the video on Facebook last August 13. It has over 180,000 views and more than 3,000 shares. News Channel 9 reported that a Change.org petition asking Calhoun High School to let Grace cheer for her high school football team was launched. It has received over 5,500 supporters who signed the online petition for the girl with Down syndrome. 

After online uproar, Calhoun HS decides to let cheerleader with #Downsyndrome on field https://t.co/Y1nqnhN4Iq

— Greg Funderburg (@gfunderburgNC9) August 16, 2016

After all this online buzz, Calhoun High School responded by meeting with Grace' parents and Grace will now be able to cheer on the field, USA Today reported. Northwest Georgia News said in a report that the school has hired retired cheerleading coach Tonya Reeves Turner to help Grace in cheerleading as a voluntary honorary cheerleading coach.

In a statement posted in Facebook, the school administration said that as honorary cheerleader, Grace will be participating in "pre-game activities which includes cheers, dances and being on the field while the band enters and the football players run through the sign." They added that the girl with Down syndrome has been part of the Calhoun family since starting school and is part of its many activities.

"After meeting with the school, we are excited that Coach Turner will lend support for Grace so that she may choose to participate with her peers on the field," said Dan and Carrie Key, Grace's parents, as per the Facebook post. Turner is said to be confident in her new role to help the girl with Down syndrome because she herself was once a cheerleader in spite of her disability.