[Fwd: Title IX Case]

From: edequity@phoenix.edc.org
Date: Mon Apr 10 2000 - 17:47:45 EDT

  • Next message: edequity@phoenix.edc.org: "democratic classrooms"

    Forwarded by Linda Purrington <lpurring@earthlink.net>

    Just to keep some of you up to date, after six months of 25 parents trying
    to get a meeting with the school district Superintendent, we had to retain
    a
    local attorney for $1000 to get a 2 hour meeting that solved non of the
    issues. The school district's "head in the sand" "Who us?" position left us
    no option except to file suit to force them to address these blatant
    inequities. With help of two of the most selfless Title IX advocates in the
    country, Herb Dempsey, WA, dempsy@ix.netcom.com and Linda Purrington, CA,
    lpurring@earthlink.net we finally hooked up with top Title IX attorneys in
    the country, Sam Schiller (918) 482-5942 http://www.schillerlawfirm.com
    and
    Ray Yasser (918) 631-2442 and they agreed to take our case. They flew in
    Thursday, filed the suit yesterday and left this morning. With these four
    people fighting for females rights, we may be beginning to see a tidal wave
    sweep across the country that will once and for all make "non-compliance"
    not an option. The time has come. I will let you know the status as things
    progress. Thanks for your support and encouragement.
    Kim Egan

    I found this quote recently and thinks it pretty much sums it all up
    "I know I wouldn't be here, and all of us wouldn't be here, without certain
    sacrifices and certain stands that people have made - not just women but
    men
    stepping up and supporting what we do and how we do it." - Mia Hamm,
    2/21/2000

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    School District Sued Over Title IX
    Reported by: Lynn Giroud
    Web produced by: Fred Slezak
    3/24/00 5:01:33 PM

    It's a common site this time of year, girl's softball on a springtime
    afternoon. But, the Lady Rebels of Boone County High were battling more
    than
    their opponent. They were fighting what they said was inequity.

    A group of parents filed a federal lawsuit Friday alleging the Boone County
    School District was violating Title IX by failing to provide equal
    opportunities for girls to participate in school-sponsored athletics.

    "It's not a situation where we want to take anything away from the boys,"
    said Edward Lawrence, father of one of the girls. "We're trying to make
    things equitable for the girls."

    The girls softball field is not at the high school, it's a few miles away,
    behind Collins Elementary.

    The boys' baseball field at the high school had dugouts, lights, bleachers,
    and an electronic scoreboard. It's right next to a new football field with
    a
    press box and new lights.

    The girls' field didn't even have access to a locker room or bathrooms.
    There was no girls' JV team, so these parents said, there's less
    opportunity
    for girls to make it onto the team.

    The boys get other perks, as well, like uniforms that are paid for and
    busses to ride to games. Parents have to drive the girls to practice and to
    their games.

    School Superintendent Bryan Blavatt said the district has been fair to
    girls.

    "We've gone beyond what's required, taken an affirmative step to try and
    provide everything we can, not just because of Title IX, but because equity
    is a real concern of mine."

    Blavatt said the district has been working on finding an alternate site for
    a new softball field. He said the lawsuit is without merit.

    The attorneys who filed the suit have dealt with these issues throughout
    the
    country, and of the 50 Title IX cases brought to court in the past eight
    years, the plaintiffs have won in every case.



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