A US cheerleading coach who was sacked from her job after students and parents uncovered her past as a Playboy model has received unexpected support from other pupils.
Photographs of Carlie Beck, who went by the alias Carlie Christine, were left on the desk of the principal at Casa Nobles High School in California after she refused to let a student with an unexplained absence audition for cheerleading, First Coast News reports.
But five other students who made the team have broken their silence over Ms Beck's sacking, protesting outside the school with signs reading: "We want Carlie back".
"[Ms Beck] was nothing but nice to every single girl … she was nice to the girl that couldn't try out and it was totally wrong what her parents did," cheerleader Maisee Tyree was quoted as saying, referring to the photographs left on the principal's desk.
"It was the only card they could pull."
Another student described Ms Beck as an "amazing coach" who was a "role model" to all the girls.
But the mother who informed school authorities about Ms Beck's past as a Playboy model and the photographs she took as "cyber girl of the week" said she had no regrets.
"This is something that I would have brought to the attention principal whether (my daughter) was on the team or not," mother Heather Giniella said.
Ms Beck said the school was aware of her past before she began teaching.
"I really learned to love these girls as well as their parents," Ms Beck said.
"I definitely appreciate all the support I've been shown."
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