Five Elba High School cheerleaders have been removed from the squad and are suspended from school after drinking during a football game last Friday night.

On Friday night, an Elba teacher was told that five of the nine cheerleaders on the sidelines had an alcoholic beverage in their plastic cups.

After the game, school Supt. Danny Weeks called in the resource officer. Weeks says the five girls admitted to bringing the alcohol to the game. He stresses that the eleventh and twelfth graders were not drunk, but having even a small amount of alcohol on campus is a serious offense.

The “straight-A” students were removed from the cheerleader squad and suspended from school for five days.

Rashawnda Whitfield has the fifth highest grade point average in the senior class. She didn't drink that night. In fact, she refused to cheer. Rashawnda says a fellow squad member made a racial comment about her being African American earlier that night. She has been removed from the squad for refusing to cheer. But not suspended from school..

Superintendent weeks says he could pursue the matter in the criminal justice system, including the adult who supplied the teenagers with the alcohol. But at this time, doesn't believe that is necessary.

With the loss of the five students who reportedly drank alcohol, along with Rashawnda Whitfield that leaves just four cheerleaders left on the Elba High School Cheerleading Squad.