[EDEQUITY Equity Now] Title IX concern

From: Nancy Gruver (nancyg@newmoon.org)
Date: Thu May 30 2002 - 14:41:21 EDT


I haven't been able to read all the recent posts about Title IX yet but
find it more than ironic that at the very time we're having this
discussion about threats to Title IX the following urgent email arrived
from the Dads and Daughters group:

There are reports that, while Congress is on Memorial Day recess, the US
Department of Education will announce it is suspending enforcement of
Title IX, the law that requires fair treatment of girls' and women's
athletics in virtually every US school. Title IX is already enforced
laxly, and it's inaccurately blamed for some schools' decisions to drop
some male sports.

I sent the following email. Now I'm also sending the alert to everyone
in my email address book & hope you will do the same - it's a fitting
way to celebrate the holiday by exercising our citizenship rights!:

I write to urge that you reinforce, rather than undermine, immediate and
comprehensive enforcement of Title IX.

Title IX is best known for its crucial role in increasing girls'
participation in school sports. Our daughters thrive when they
participate in sports. Physically active girls are happier and are less
likely to get pregnant, drop out of school, do drugs, smoke, or develop
mental illness. Thanks to Title IX, more girls than ever play sports -
and more boys, too! Title IX is one of this country's great success
stories.

When Title IX became law in 1972, only 1 in 27 high school girls played
sports. Today, 1 in 2.5 do. A Wall Street Journal poll shows 79% of
Americans support Title IX. Sadly, many commentators continue to write
falsehoods about Title IX's impact on our schools and our children - for
example, the notion that Title IX forces schools to cut men's sports
like wrestling. This is simply not true.

Even after 30 years of Title IX, female college athletes receive only
36% of sports operating dollars, 42% of college athletic scholarship
dollars, and 32% of athletic team recruitment spending. So called
"minor" men's sports are being cut not because of Title IX, but because
schools are unwilling to fund lower status sports at the expense of
high-budget men's sports like basketball and football.

I fervently hope that you do not base policy decisions on inaccurate
claims, like "Title IX forces schools to discriminate against boys." The
facts make clear how foolish such assertions are.

I urge you to intensify enforcement of Title IX, and thereby encourage
the wonderful phenomenon of growing numbers of girls and boys playing
sports - and rooting on their classmates, regardless of gender. And
Title IX also sets the federal standard for equal treatment of girls and
boys in all aspects of education in schools that receive federal funds.

We've known for decades that Title IX works, especially when applied
enthusiastically. Make sure it keeps on making schools better for
all children.

Nancy Gruver
Founder
New Moon Publishing
PO Box 3620
Duluth, MN 55803
218-728-5507 x11
fax 218-728-0314
www.newmoon.org
New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams
www.newmoonstore.com
The New Moon Store
www.daughters.com
Daughters: For Parents of Girls



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