Updated May 23, 2013
On Friday, the Department of Education announced new guidance that says students with disabilities must be given the opportunity to participate in traditional school sports. The department says schools must make "reasonable accommodations" for students with disabilities who want to join traditional teams, or create a parallel athletic program for students with disabilities if the necessary adjustments would fundamentally alter a sport or give an advantage to the students with disabilities. Advocates have praised the decision and compared it to Title IX, which is largely credited with expanding athletic opportunities for women.
AAUW is committed to ensuring adequate, equitable and quality educational opportunities for all students.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 2, 2013.
Do you work with Title IX issues, or are you interested in learning more about Title IX? Title IX, which was adopted in 1972, is the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. This includes not only athletics, but also harassment and bullying, access to career and technical education programs, and treatment of pregnant and parenting students. Higher Ed Jobs has released a list of best practices for Title IX coordinators, who are charged with ensuring that the law is followed at their schools.
AAUW strongly supports Title IX and opposes any efforts that would weaken its effectiveness or undermine its enforcement. AAUW has many resources to learn more about Title IX, including our Know the Score athletics evaluation and a major report on Title IX recently released by a AAUW-chaired coalition.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for November 30, 2012.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a report of its work and goals in enforcing civil rights and ensuring all students are entitled to education over fiscal years 2009-2012. The report highlights OCR’s improved efficiency in receiving and resolving a record number of 28,500 complaints over the past four years; OCR’s work to improve the Civil Rights Data Collection and allow for more transparency; and its commitment to providing safe learning environments that prepare students to graduate. AAUW joined Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali on a conference call in advance of the report’s release.
Ali, who is credited with strengthening OCR over the last four years, is stepping down as head of the division effective today. AAUW Public Policy and Government Relations Director Lisa Maatz joined Ali for her farewell party at the Department of Education to recognize Ali’s dedication and good work on several AAUW issues.
AAUW believes that quality public education is the foundation of a democratic society. We advocate an equitable, bias-free public education system including stronger policies to deter and address bullying and harassment to ensure a safe learning environment for all students.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for November 30, 2012.
Spelman College, a historically black women's college in Atlanta, announced that it will end its athletic program to focus on wellness programs at the school. Currently, Spelman spends about $1 million on sports, but only 4 percent of students participate in the athletics programs. The college will now spend that money on new health and fitness initiatives, such as improving fitness facilities on campus, that it says will benefit all 2,100 students attending the school.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for November 9, 2012.
Local NBC news reported this week that numerous schools in the San Francisco, California, area have failed to appoint Title IX coordinators to handle harassment and discrimination complaints on the basis of sex. Title IX requires schools to appoint a coordinator and make the coordinator’s name and contact information publicly available. The NBC reporters sent a simple email to over 200 Bay Area school principals asking for the contact information of their Title IX coordinator. Of the few that replied, most schools said they did not know who was appointed the Title IX coordinator; some were unaware of what Title IX was. Equal Rights Advocates, a national nonprofit, has followed up with the school districts and could file a complaint with the Department of Education.
AAUW strongly supports Title IX and opposes any efforts that would weaken its effectiveness or undermine its enforcement. The AAUW 2011-2013 Public Policy Program "…advocates vigorous enforcement of Title IX and all other civil rights laws pertaining to education."
- from AAUW's Washington Update for November 2, 2012.
A former Wesleyan University student has filed a lawsuit against her alma mater, alleging that the university violated Title IX by not providing adequate protection and a safe environment for students on campus. The student, who remains anonymous, claims that she was raped two years ago at a fraternity house that she says was widely known on campus as the “Rape Factory.” The student says she told her resident assistant, who did not notify any school or law enforcement officials. The student says she then reported the rape to the university health system, which took no further action to provide support for the victim. Instead, the university recommended that students stay away from the fraternity, and the victim alleges that she was repeatedly harassed on campus.
AAUW is appalled by these allegations. AAUW strongly supports Title IX and opposes any efforts that would weaken its effectiveness or undermine its enforcement. Incidences of sexual harassment and assault on college and university campuses have a damaging impact on the educational experience of many college students. AAUW’s research shows that sexual harassment on campus takes an especially heavy toll on young women, making it harder for them to get the education they need to take care of themselves and their families.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 12, 2012.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) found that Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts had violated Title IX by denying female students equal opportunity in athletic programs and scholarships. According to its agreement with OCR, the college will create six new female athletics teams, provide additional scholarships to female athletes, and appoint a new Title IX committee to monitor the college’s progress on reversing the discrimination.
AAUW strongly supports Title IX and opposes any efforts that would weaken its effectiveness. AAUW celebrated the 40th anniversary of Title IX in June with a reception on Capitol Hill and the release of a coalition report Title IX at 40: Working to Ensure Gender Equity in Education, which cites AAUW research and offers recommendations for how the Department of Education should guide Title IX school coordinators to improve enforcement.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 5, 2012.
Sixteen-year-old Gabby Douglas became the first black woman to win a gold medal in the individual all-around gymnastics competition at the Olympics on Thursday. She finished with 62.232 points overall and became the third consecutive American woman to win the individual gold medal, following Nastia Liukin and Carly Patterson. The U.S. women’s gymnastics team won the gold medal two days earlier, with an overall score of 183.596 points. Russia and Romania won silver and bronze, respectively.
In 1996, Dominique Dawes became the first black person to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics, as part of the “Magnificent Seven.” She was also the first black woman to win a silver medal in the individual all-around competition, and she credits Title IX for making her legacy in women’s athletics possible.
AAUW applauds Gabby Douglas and Dominique Dawes for breaking through barriers in women’s athletics. AAUW strongly supports Title IX and opposes any efforts that would weaken its effectiveness. AAUW believes that expansion of athletic opportunities for girls and women must continue at both the high school and college levels because it is important not only for the participants themselves but for the benefit of the greater community as well.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for August 3, 2012.
Pennsylvania has passed a law requiring school districts to report data regarding male and female athletics to the state department of education. School districts must now submit reports indicating athletic participation, resource allocation, and spending differences for boys’ and girls’ athletic programs. The information will be publicly available on school-affiliated websites so parents, teachers, and students can review and monitor for inequalities that may exist in school athletics. Georgia, Kentucky, and New Mexico already require school districts to report this information.
AAUW applauds Pennsylvania for joining three other states in passing this legislation. AAUW advocates for legislation to mandate that all high schools submit data on girls’ and boys’ athletic opportunities, resources, and funding. AAUW Lobby Corps members have also visited congressional offices urging members to support and cosponsor the High School Data Transparency Act (S. 1269) and its companion bill (H.R. 458), which would employ the principles of Pennsylvania’s law on a national scale.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for July 27, 2012.
The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund collaborated with the nonprofit Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center and the Women's Sports Foundation to provide AAUW members with the tools you need to find out if your local high schools are Title IX compliant-and what you can do if they are not. The tools, including a Program in a Box, are available on a new page on the AAUW website. A webinar for interested members will take place October 29 at 6 p.m. EDT. If you or your branch is interested in implementing this project or in participating in the webinar, please contact laf@aauw.org.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for October 16, 2009.
The Women's Sports Foundation has posted to their website Step-by-Step: A Practical Guide To Assess and Achieve Gender Equity in School Sports. Title IX's impact on women's athletic participation is one of the country's greatest success stories. It has changed the playing field dramatically for girls and women in sports. However, full equality of opportunity has not been achieved. The Women's Sports Foundation created this guide to help parents, students and coaches understand how to become advocates for change.
AAUW firmly believes that expansion of athletic opportunities for girls and women must continue at both the high school and college levels. AAUW "advocates vigorous enforcement of Title IX and all other civil rights laws pertaining to education." Learn more about AAUW's position on Title IX and equity in school athletics. Leave your comments about Title IX on AAUW Dialog, and watch for future Action Network alerts on legislation advocating for increased enforcement of Title IX's protections.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for March 7, 2009.
Created by the Women’s Sports Foundation in 2001 to prevent young girls from falling into a sedentary lifestyle, GoGirlGo! offers at-risk girls a fun, interactive program to keep them on the track to success and deter them from the high-risk behaviors that can accompany inactivity including obesity, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, tobacco use, drug use, teenage pregnancy and depression. The GoGirlGo! curriculum is available at no cost through the Women’s Sports Foundation. For more information on GoGirlGo! and to order kits for a classroom or community organization supporting girls, log onto www.GoGirlGo.com or call 800-227-3988.
- from AAUW's Washington Update for February 1, 2008.