KENOSHA, WIS. (Spectrum News 1) -  The superintendent of the Kenosha School District is banning cheerleading awards that objectify students bodies. It comes after the ACLU threatened legal action in February following an incident where cheerleaders were given out awards in regards to their body parts at a banquet. 

In a memo sent to district administration, the superintendent said mock awards of any kind are now banned and that any extracurricular activity wishing to hand out awards must fill out an awards recognition request form and have it approved in advance of the event. Staff in the district also had to attend a mandatory discrimination and harassment training. 

Patti Hupp is a former Kenosha School District track coach, she was among the first to express concerns to the district about the cheerleading incident after it happened. She says she is pleased the district is now taking action, but says she feels it is unfortunate students have had to deal with discrimination and body shaming. 

“We as coaches and teachers exist to be positive influences in their lives. So, for any young man or young woman to have to be subjected to an adult that they have spent any significant time with to be a negative influence on their lives, I think that makes me sad and I think that is heartbreaking,” says Hupp. 

An attorney for the ACLU says she is glad the district is taking steps to address the issues in the district, but says she still has questions about how the district plans to address the underlying culture that led to recent incidents in the first place. ​