The 'Fab Five' Revisited

Ward insists that the movie wasn't meant to be a documentary. But a McKinney school spokesman says Ward's portrayal in the movie leaves out a few important details, like how she walked away from her teaching job and only asked for it back months later. (Ward says she was forced out by a hostile environment.) Regardless, changes were made in the schools, including the appointment of a district-wide cheerleading coordinator, a new principal at McKinney North High, and stricter enforcement of the rules for all students. Students and teachers have moved on, says McKinney schools spokesman Cody Cunningham, and most McKinney residents who settled down in front of the television Saturday night for the Fab Five premiere did so "with a healthy sense of humor. The movie is nothing more than entertainment. We're not losing any sleep over it."

None of the Fab Five cheerleaders or their parents, including the former principal, responded to requests for comment from NEWSWEEK. Back when the scandal broke, one Fab Five member brushed off her behavior, saying they were just five best friends whose goofy hijinks had been blown out of proportion. "We're just fun girls. People make mistakes," she said. "OK, some cheerleaders go awry. Why do people care? Let's talk about Africa and blood diamonds, or something important."

Ward says she knew her actions would be unpopular with some, and hailed by others. "Nobody can deny the fact that I was the only person who was willing to stand up for what was right and it made a significant difference in that school. Two principals are gone and a culture that had festered at McKinney North was completely changed within months," she says. "Had they listened to me and looked into the allegations none of this would have happened, there wouldn't have been a scandal of McKinney. I would be teaching in a classroom somewhere, not making movies with Lifetime."

Ward credits the movie for conveying her intended message – that parents and educators need to set limits for their children. For others in McKinney, including the mother of one former Fab Five cheerleader, the movie scrapes a raw wound. Ward says she had to call police last week when a parent of one of the Fab Five sent her more than a dozen text messages and screamed into the phone "Why do you keep hurting people?" Ward, who had planned to host a viewing party at a local restaurant, canceled the gathering.

© 2008