NC high school cancels all-girls drill team, sparking outrage

Person High School has caused uproar in the community after it decided to disband its popular all-girls drill team that's been around since the 70s. Drill teams are a precision dance team, similar to the Rockettes. The girls perform high kicks, splits and coordinated dances.

Students and parents were notified this week that the team would be cut, and the school will instead combine the band, flag, drill and dance teams into one group.

Administrators say that this decision was made so that the school would be "better prepared" for competitions.

Students are upset because they were notified of this decision after auditions were over.

People in the community say they loved watching students perform a 50-year-old tradition on Friday nights at the football stadium.

“Everybody loved it because they all had their each individual style, and it made an awesome show,” said Allison Porterfield, whose daughter was on the team.

She said trying to combine every different group's talents is going to "take away from the whole atmosphere."

Mary Mangum, the drill team's coach, said she was given no say in the decision.

“They told me we are merging these two teams together, and they’re in it or they’re not," she said.

Porterfield said her daughter cried for three hours when she got the news.

"All she wanted to do [from] when she was 5 years old and up was to kick not twirl a flag," she said.

More than 3,000 people have signed a petition with demands to reverse the decision. The petition was started by the drill team's captain, Zane Oakley.

"I knew that we had to do something as a team to get this reversed," she said.

Principal Jonté Hill said in a statement the move is meant to expand the teams' opportunities.

"Drill team is a very specific skill set. It’s kicks, it’s sharpness," Mangum said. "There’s not really many dance moves that you would have in a traditional dance team. And color guard is flags."

The decision prompted school sponsors like Tar Heel Cheverlot Buick GMC to pull out.

Still, Hill stands by the decision: "We feel this new direction will not only keep current traditions, but will move our band program forward to be competitive in upcoming band competitions.”

After the pandemic led to a far from ordinary experience last year, students said they feel disappointed once again.

“The fact [is] that I finally get to do my dream, and it all gets taken away from me," said student Farrah Porterfield. "Why am I getting punished from my hard work that I’ve given for so long?"