Commission Undercuts Title IX
BREAKING NEWS: Commission Undercuts Title IX, Women's Groups Protest
1/30/2003 - The Commission for Educational Opportunities appointed
by President Bush to "review" Title IX voted today to allow interest
surveys be used as a tool in enforcing Title IX and to redefine
proportionality to allow more discrimination. Both measures weaken the
enforcement of Title IX, the 1972 law that mandates gender equity in
federally funded education, including athletic programs in public high
schools and colleges. Commissioner Julie Foudy, a member of the U.S.
women's national soccer team, led the fight within the panel to
protect Title IX, but the Commission was stacked against supporters
for the landmark law.
Women's groups have vowed to fight the attack on Title IX, rallying
yesterday outside of the Hotel Washington, where the Commission
meetings are being held. In the audience at the hearings today were
Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority, Kim Gandy,
president of the National Organization for Women and Martha Burk,
president of the National Council of Women's Organizations, as well as
Donna Lopiano of the Women's Sports Foundation and leaders of the
National Women's Law Center. Sharyn Tejani, legal director of the
Feminist Majority, and Smeal spent the day briefing press on the
impact of Title IX on women and girls.
"This is not about sports," said Smeal. "This is about jobs." Smeal
referred to the possibility that the Bush Commission's attack on girls
and women in sports may be the opening salvo in a broader attack on
Title IX and its opening of opportunities for women in law, medicine,
and other traditionally male-dominated professions.
Yesterday, former Senator Birch Bayh, who was the chief Senate sponsor
of Title IX in 1972, made a surprise appearance at the rally.
"Feminists are the majority," Bayh exclaimed. In addition, Washington
Freedom's 2000 Olympic goalkeeper Siri Mullinix joined the rally to
talk about how Title IX gave her the athletic opportunities that led
to her career as a professional soccer player.
"Thirty years after Title IX's passage, high school girls still
receive 1.1 million fewer athletic opportunities than their male peers
each year probably why seven out of 10 adults familiar with Title IX
want it strengthened or left alone," Gandy said. "Title IX came too
late for me, but I'm determined not to let George Bush bench my
daughters."
"Title IX was one of the most successful pieces of legislation of the
20th century. We are not about to lose ground in the 21st century,"
Burk said. "Girls and their parents will fight for this."
The Commission for Educational Opportunities will present its final
report on Title IX to Education Secretary Roderick Paige. With a
commission largely made up of opponents to Title IX, the report is
expected to recommend a weakening of the law. In fact, the commission
originally stated that the final report would not include a minority
opinion. However, Commissioners Julie Foudy and Donna DeVarona
convinced the commission Wednesday that this omission would be the
equivalent of a "gag rule," the Associated Press reported.
"There's tremendous passion on this issue," said Foudy, as reported by
AP. "To not represent both sides of the passion is a disservice of
what we're going to give to the secretary."
Media Resources: Feminist Majority 1/29/03; National Organization for
Women 1/29/03; National Council of Women's Organizations 1/29/03;
Associated Press 1/29/03
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