Congresswoman Commemorates Anniversary of Title IX

Congresswoman Commemorates Anniversary of Title IX

Today marks the 34th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark civil rights law authored by the late Rep. Patsy T. Mink of Hawaii. It is the standard that for 34 years has ensured equal opportunity in athletics and contributed to the athletic and educational achievement of hundreds of thousands of young women. Because of Title IX, young women's participation in athletics has increased 400 percent at the college level and 800 percent in high schools.

"Girls and women who participate in sports receive great physical and psychological benefits, including higher levels of confidence, stronger self-images and lower levels of depression," remarked Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D-Norwalk). "It is tremendously important to defend these programs, and to provide opportunities for our young women that promote positive mental health."

Unfortunately the legacy of this groundbreaking policy has been placed in jeopardy by the Bush administration. On March 17, 2005, the Department of Education, without notice or public input, issued a new Title IX policy -- under the guise of a "Clarification" -- that creates a major loophole through which schools can evade their obligation to provide equal opportunity in sports. The policy allows schools to gauge female students' interest in athletics by doing nothing more than conducting an e-mail survey and to claim - in these days of excessive e-mail spam - that a failure to respond to the survey shows a lack of interest in playing sports.

The "Clarification" eliminates schools' obligation to look broadly and proactively at whether they are satisfying women's interests in sports, and it will perpetuate the cycle of discrimination in sports to which women have been subjected. It also violates basic principles of equality and threatens to reverse the enormous progress women and girls have made in sports since the enactment of Title IX in 1972.

On June 22, 2005, Congresswoman Napolitano joined more than 140 House Democrats in writing to President Bush, urging him to withdraw the new rules. The letter also defended female athletes, who after years of tireless efforts to gain respect and equality, have now achieved equal access for generations of young women.

So far, unfortunately, the Bush administration has yet to reverse course.

"I call on the President to work with Congress and ensure that Title IX continues to open the doors of opportunity for today's young women and for generations to come. Our nation's women and girls deserve no less than the reversal of these rules," concluded the Congresswoman.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ca38_napolitano/pr062306.html