Texas, the home of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, the National Cheerleaders Association and the Herkie jump (more on that later), may have put modern cheerleading on the map. But the Texas House of Representatives, concerned that high school cheerleading is becoming too raunchy, has approved a bill that would allow state education officials to prohibit "overtly sexually suggestive" cheering and drill team routines.
"I felt in my heart that this bill was the right thing to pursue," said Representative Tommy Merritt, a Republican from Longview whose wife is a former member of the Kilgore Rangerettes, the celebrated women's drill team from Kilgore College in East Texas. The Rangerettes, who dress conservatively in white cowboy hats and boots and red, white and blue outfits, were held up as a proper example by the bill's supporters in debate that preceded its approval, 65 to 56, on Monday.
The legislation, sponsored by Representative Al Edwards, a Houston Democrat and ordained minister who once proposed a measure to amputate the fingers of drug dealers, now goes to the Senate, where it lacks a sponsor. It also lacks some of its original teeth; a provision that would have allowed a cut in state financing to schools that permit racy routines was removed.
Still, some were relieved that the House approved the bill.
"High school cheerleading was starting to emulate popular culture, if you call popular culture the scantily clad Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders," said Cathie Adams, president of the conservative Texas Eagle Forum. "We feel this is a bill that empowers parents, that provides moms and dads with some additional support."
Others, including some who make their living in the state's vibrant cheerleading industry, are withholding their hurrahs. Eric Howze, owner and director of the Southwest Cheer Academy, which conducts private cheerleading classes near Houston, said the measure was "completely ridiculous."
"What's defined as lewd by one person is skill, talent and hard work to another," Mr. Howze said. "We're from Texas, which is obviously a very Christian-based state and something I support, but why do we want the government doing something that parents are already doing?"
Supporters of the bill, however, argued that something had to be done to prevent student cheerleaders from mimicking the provocative dances seen on MTV, the routines of some professional sports teams' cheering squads and suggestive performances in cheerleading movies like "Bring It On" and its sequel, "Bring It On Again."
Just what would be defined as too suggestive under the bill remains vague, though. The measure leaves that to the Texas Education Agency, where a spokeswoman, Debbie Graves Ratcliffe, said the agency would be empowered to write a letter to a school district to request a review on whether a routine was unacceptably racy. Ms. Ratcliffe declined further comment, citing a policy that bars the agency from publicly discussing details of pending legislation.
Among those groups that are careful in their assessment of the bill's effect is the National Cheerleaders Association, a company based in Dallas that conducts cheerleading camps and competitions around the country. The association was founded in 1948 by Lawrence Herkimer, the cheerleader from Southern Methodist University credited with creating the pompom, the spirit stick and the Herkie jump: the leap - done with right fist in the air, left hand on hip, left leg thrust forward - that is a cheer bedrock.
"We think, as a company, that age-appropriate clothing and choreography are always necessary," said Karen Halterman, vice president for marketing at the association.
"We believe it's a very small minority of cheerleaders, not the 98 percent who do things right, that are being noticed at the suggestive level," Ms. Halterman said. "We've already been looking into this thing, since our focus has been not just on technical skills but on grooming tomorrow's leaders."
Maureen Balleza contributed reporting for this article.
(Thanks go to a Mr. David Ring, who alerted me of this impending cheerleader doom. Also, he inspired the thought: I should make shirts that say "God, I hate Texas" in the same font as "Don't Mess With Texas" and wear it every day for the next 2 weeks. Of course, when I wear it to the club, I'll only be engaging in age-appropriate choreography.)