By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Cheryl Sims' 12-year-old African-American daughter doesn't have what she calls the "Barbie look."

But if there's one thing the Hopewell Junior School seventh-grader can do, it's dance, her mother says.

That's why Sims doesn't understand why her daughter didn't make Hopewell's Winter Dance Team. "She's just a natural dancer," Sims said. "Almost every year in school she's voted best dancer. She's come home with gift certificates she's won for her dancing."

Sims suspects her daughter (she asked that her name not be used), didn't make the team because she is African-American and is not a cheerleader or athlete. None of the three African-American girls who tried out made the dance team.

"I think they already had it figured out who was going to make it,'' Sims said. "If you weren't a certain look, they didn't pick you for the team."

Lakota spokesman Jon Weidlich denied any allegations of racism and said selection was based on the judges' scores and students' talents. In past years, the same judges have selected African-American team members.

Sims met this week with school officials to discuss the selection process and said she will be told todaywhat might be done in the future so that more students can participate on the team. She would like to see new judges, criteria and an audience present during another set of tryouts.

Lakota Assistant Superintendent Mike Taylor said concerns were raised to him by at least one other parent and at the building level by a third parent.

His discussions with Sims were "focused on the selection process and 22 girls not making the team and the reason why those girls did not make the team,'' Taylor said.

Forty-seven seventh- and eighth-grade students tried out before a three-judge panel. Weidlich said the team size was increased to 25 to accommodate more students.

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