Faces of Title IX
|
It's hard to imagine that thirty-five years ago, young women were not admitted into many colleges and universities, athletic scholarships were rare and math and science was a realm reserved for boys. In those days, girls took P.E. and learned square dancing instead of playing sports. They studied home economics instead of training for 'male-oriented' (read: higher paying) trades. Girls could become teachers and nurses, but not principals, and they didn't get tenure and weren't appointed college presidents. There was no such thing as sexual harassment, because 'boys will be boys,' after all, and if a student got pregnant, her education stopped.
|
Then, on June 23, 1972 Title IX became law. It was a beacon of hope for a future of equality, providing women with solid legal protection from discrimination in education.
For those who think that Title IX has done its job, or who think boys are losing out on opportunities because of this law, please read these stories. They represent only a small sampling of the issues that are still being adjudicated, settled, discussed or swept under the rug and support the fact that many students are still being denied equal opportunities in education. Others of the accounts illustrate that tremendous progress is possible, and is already occurring. The evidence lies in stories of girls and women who have benefited from Title IX and as a result are pursuing professions that were not open to them before the law was enacted.
It's not shocking that the cases of sexual discrimination brought before the courts in the 1970's would be pretty dramatic. What might be surprising is the number of equally egregious instances of inequity that persist in our schools today -- 35 years later.
Tell us your story!