Oh my god. This is Denver’s East High School Summer Cheer Camp, a fucking torture chamber where the screams of cheerleaders are received with laughter of their teammates who hold them down as a grown man pushes on their bodies to split their legs. This video of 13-year-old freshman Ally Wakefield crying “please stop” is one of eight broadcast by Channel 9 News (see the full program here). “Ozell Williams, the East High School cheerleading coach, had to see and hear this in person over and over and over,” says 9News. Wakefield claims that Williams caused her ligaments and muscles to tear at the same time. Meanwhile, throughout cheer camp, Williams has been posting team bonding photos on social media.
This morning, Denver Public Schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg announced that Williams, the principal, assistant principal, assistant cheer coach, and the Denver Public Schools’ deputy general counsel have all been put on leave while the Denver police investigate.