Massachusetts

Cheer Coach's Contract Won't Be Extended at Lynn English After ‘White Power' Snapchat Video

The 11-second clip of Stephanie Cuevas showed her raising her fist and saying "white power"

What to Know

  • Stephanie Cuevas, the cheerleading coach at Lynn English High School, will not be returning to her position.
  • Cuevas came under fire after posting an 11-second Snapchat video smiling while raising her fist and saying "white power."
  • Patrick Tutwiler, Superintendent of Lynn Public Schools, told The Daily Item that after an investigation, Cuevas will just not be rehired.

The cheerleading coach at Lynn English High School will not be returning to her position after a racially insensitive Snapchat video emerged over the weekend.

Patrick Tutwiler, Superintendent of Lynn Public Schools, told The Daily Item that an investigation of the Snapchat video by Stephanie Cuevas was launched after parents and residents became concerned.

In the 11-second clip, Cuevas was seen smiling while raising her fist and saying "white power." The video was then uploaded on Facebook.

Tutwiler said that Cuevas had been a coach with the school system for a few years but that all coaches are only employed "during the season for which they receive an agreement." He told The Daily Item that he could only fire her if it were a current season, therefore, Lynn Public Schools was just not extending her an agreement for the fall.

After the video was uploaded to Facebook, Cuevas eventually responded with her own post, apologizing and taking responsibility. But she tried to clarify by saying, in part, "I was making fun of myself in the video because that's my personality! And for the record, I'm white power, black power, Mexican power, and human race power period."

NBC10 Boston tried to reach Cuevas multiple times for her side of the story, but she refused. Her attorney instead referred us to her statements already made on social media.

Since that statement, the Chargers youth football program, with whom Cuevas is a secretary and board member, also launched an investigation saying the content of the video was inappropriate and they are deciding what to do next.

The Boston branch of the NAACP has recommended the school district and football program launch deep conversations about race, along with sensitivity training.

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