14-Year-Old Excluded from Cheerleading Yearbook Photo Due to Oversight

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In a distressing incident, a 14-year-old girl named Lily Johnson was omitted from her cheerleading team’s yearbook photo. Lily, who has Down syndrome, is a member of the cheer team at Crestview Junior High. Her older sibling, Emma Johnson, spoke to ABC4 Salt Lake City about the hurt caused by this exclusion.

“My heart broke for my sister when I saw that she wasn’t included with her friends,” Emma shared. When the yearbook was finally published, Lily showed Emma the cheer page, leading to a shocking revelation: two different photos had been taken, and Lily appeared in one but was absent from the final selection that made it into the yearbook. This omission left Lily feeling devastated.

To protect Lily from potential online negativity, the family has chosen not to allow her to participate in interviews. Emma mentioned that despite the incident, Lily has already forgiven those involved.

Lily’s father, Tom Johnson, spoke with BuzzFeed about the emotional toll this experience took on his daughter. Initially excited to receive her yearbook, Lily became disheartened upon realizing she was missing from the photo. “When I asked Lily how she felt, she said, ‘I’m sad, but those are my friends,’” Tom recounted.

The school district is investigating the situation and hopes to implement changes to prevent future oversights. Shauna Lund, a spokesperson for Crestview School District, acknowledged that while the situation was regrettable, it was an error without malice. Emma noted that this is not the first time Lily has been overlooked, as she was previously left off the class roster entirely.

With the attention gained from Emma’s Facebook post, which has gone viral and reached as far as Scotland, the family hopes for positive changes within the school. The district issued a statement expressing regret for the mistake and reassured the family that they are committed to addressing the issue.

Emma was clear that the family does not hold any anger and wishes to avoid embarrassing the school. “Lily loves those girls. They are her friends, and she has forgiven them,” she said. Tom hopes Lily’s experience will spark broader discussions about inclusion, benefiting not just individuals with special needs but fostering a more inclusive environment for everyone.

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Summary

A 14-year-old girl with Down syndrome was excluded from her cheerleading yearbook photo, causing distress to her family. The school district is investigating the incident, and the family is hopeful for future improvements in inclusion practices. Despite the oversight, the girl has shown forgiveness towards her peers.