Title IX Tales
During the V is for Victory. So is IX. campaign, our Public Policy Officers met with school administrators, athletic directors, coaches, parents and student-athletes, motivating them to seek full Title IX compliance at their sites. From the courts, fields, tracks and pools, these authentic tales kept us energized.
Booster Club President Fights for Field
In 2005, the president of a softball booster club contacted the Foundation with concerns about the high school softball field. He explained that the softball team played on a terrible field at the end of the high school parking lot. The field doubled as overflow parking for major events and was also used as the practice field for the football and boys’ lacrosse teams.
Seeking direction, the concerned president e-mailed the Women’s Sports Foundation to inquire whether the booster club could do anything to improve the softball team’s situation. The Advocacy Department informed him that Title IX requires schools to ensure that the overall benefits and treatments of the male and female programs are comparable. We explained that the budgets for boys’ and girls’ teams do not have to be equal, but the bottom line is that the benefits provided must be equal. The Advocacy Department told him that facilities, such as the field used by his school’s softball team, are one benefit that must be equally provided to the boys’ and girls’ programs. We also provided him with educational information.
Success:
The Advocacy Department’s advice worked! The booster club president rallied the members of the booster club and used the Foundation’s resources to begin campaigning for a new softball field. The softball team joined in on the fight, and together, they convinced the school board to build a proper softball field. The booster club president stated that the Foundation’s information gave them the “power” to start their three-year campaign. This spring, the softball team began playing on their new softball field.
Applause to:
High School Softball Booster Club President, Va.
Mother “Cheers” for Betting Coaching
A mother contacted the Foundation with concerns about her daughter’s high school cheerleading coach. The mother explained that the coach was verbally abusive to her daughter and to the other girls on the team. The mother claimed that the coach degraded the team by calling them inappropriate names and embarrassed them during practices and competitions. Due to the coach’s verbal abuse, a number of girls decided to quit the team.
Frustrated with a lack of administration response to the coach’s poor behavior, the mother contacted the Foundation for advice. The Advocacy Department informed her that the best way to handle situations of verbal abuse is to “play the political game” by talking to the right people, establishing support and setting up meetings. We also provided her with educational information, including Addressing the Issue of Verbal, Physical and Psychological Abuse of Athletes: The Foundation Position and Step by Step: A Practical Guide to Assess and Achieve Gender Equity, a resource that gives activists a detailed, step-by-step plan for achieving gender equity.
Success:
The Advocacy Department’s advice worked! The mother used the Foundation’s resources and joined forces with a group of parents. Working together, they persuaded school officials to fire the coach and ensure that she cannot psychologically harm any other girls. The mother stated that the Foundation’s guidance was “pivotal” and “made all the difference.” The school is currently searching for a new, qualified cheerleading coach.
Applause to:
A concerned mother, Mass.
Best Trick: Equal Prize Money
The “worldwide leader in sport” stepped up its game and exposed its true leadership ability.
Long considered an integral partner in helping to bring women’s sports to the forefront through promotion, ESPN hit a small snag with the nuances of hosting such a unique event like the X Games. Of course, with any new project, surprises arise and the bugs take a little while to work out. Nevertheless, each year both ESPN and the X Games seemed to move in the right direction. From Winter X 10 to Winter X 11, for the events in which both men and women competed, the gap in purse prize shrank from a $43,000 to $7,500. From Summer X 11 to Summer X 12, the gap in purse prize shrank from a $212,725 to $151,000.
Through the effort of the Foundation and other women’s sports organizations, mixed with ESPN’s willingness to listen and make improvements, the situation headed for a good resolution.
Success:
The Foundation’s and ESPN’s collaborative effort worked! ESPN announced that the Summer X Games and Winter X Games will feature equal prize money for both men and women in 2009. Plus, women's slopestyle was added to the lineup for Winter X.
Applause to:
ESPN
Grandmother "Cleans up" Problems
A grandparent contacted the Foundation with concerns about her granddaughter’s physical education class. The grandmother learned that her granddaughter’s physical education teacher made the second-grade girls clean the gym and closets during their designated class time. After speaking with her grandson, who attends the same school, the grandmother was made aware that the boys were not relegated to cleaning like the girls. After asking both her grandchildren about the situation, her grandson informed her that the physical education teacher told them that girls clean better than boys, and that was why the girls were made to clean during gym.
Unaware of where to turn and what to do, the grandmother contacted the Women’s Sports Foundation. The grandmother was afraid this incident would unravel the years of lessons she instilled in her grandchildren.
The Advocacy Department explained that a part of Title IX covers issues of course offerings, which include physical education. Therefore, under Title IX, a recipient shall not provide any course or otherwise carry out any of its education program or activity separately on the basis of sex. We provided the grandmother with information and assistance in helping design the steps needed to rectify the problem with the teacher and administration. The situation progressed, and the grandmother took action against the teacher.
Success:
The Foundation’s advice worked! The grandmother, along with several other people, filed a formal complaint with the school. The coach has stopped making the girls clean the gym.
Applause To:
A concerned grandparent in Oklahoma.
Father “Scores Goal” for Daughter
A parent contacted the Foundation with concerns about his daughter’s field hockey team. This year, his daughter, a senior in high school, has to play all her games off campus and does not get to participate in the school’s homecoming sports celebrations.
The problem escalated when parents, students and athletes found out the school’s homecoming plans. The school decided to rent out the football stadium at the local college and plan a homecoming event focused on only the football team. This caused an uproar, as all the parents and students were used to all the fall sports teams being featured in their own homecoming games. During a public meeting with school administration, a father asked why the girls’ field hockey team was not included, as would be the norm, and he was met with an emphatic answer from the athletic director, who said, “Boys’ varsity football is the main reason for homecoming.”
Wondering what to do and where to turn, the father called the Women’s Sports Foundation. He felt like time was running out, but there was something he needed to do to make sure his daughter could play in a homecoming event in her senior year.
The Advocacy Department explained that the school had a responsibility to ensure comparable overall treatment and benefits to the male and female programs and that includes publicity. We provided the parent with information and assistance to help design the steps needed to rectify the problem and called and spoke with the school’s athletic director per his request.
Success:
The Foundation’s advice and call worked! A few days after we spoke with the athletic director, we received an e-mail from the parent. The father said that suddenly the field hockey players were told they will play in a homecoming game.
Applause To:
A concerned parent, N.Y.
Teenage Soccer Player “Scores” Victory Against Abusive Soccer Coach
Parents contacted the Foundation with concerns about their daughter, Sarah’s club team soccer coaches. Their daughter, a senior in high school, had discovered a year earlier that one of the coaches was having an inappropriate and unethical relationship with one of her teammates. Their daughter told them that she had been pressured to keep this relationship secret for the last year, but believed the coach was wrong for what he was doing and she feared for the well-being of her friend and teammate. The coach had met with Sarah privately, engaged her in a conversation about the relationship, and told her she had to keep it secret, or else he would get into a lot of trouble.
The situation was more complicated as the head coach was the father of the coach having the inappropriate and unethical relationship with the minor player. Sarah began to challenge the coach to stop abusing her friend. As a result of her challenging behavior, the head coach began to “bully” Sarah by emotionally abusing her during practice, sent her home from practice three times and made her run laps without shoes.
At her last practice, Sarah was sent home after demanding that the all the coaches meet with the seniors on the team because “something had happened last year (the coach’s inappropriate and unethical relationship”) that was never discussed and it had a big impact on everyone and needed to be discussed now. The head coach shouted her down, telling her he “had not given her permission to speak” and then kicked her out of practice.
After feeling abused enough by the coaches, Sarah finally decided to confide in her parents.
Her parents began the difficult process of holding the coach accountable. Fortunately, key parents, supported the complaint against the coaches filed by Sarah’s parents.
The Advocacy Department explained that the situation constituted sexual harassment which Title IX strictly prohibits. We provided the parents with information and assistance in helping design the steps needed to rectify the problem with the coaches and provided contact with an expert in the field. The situation progressed and the parents took action against the coaches.
Success:
The Foundation's advice worked! Sarah’s parents filed a complaint with the state’s youth soccer association, who sanctioned the coach for his inappropriate relationship with the minor player and rebuked his father, the head coach, for not taking appropriate action.
Applause To:
Sarah, a courageous teen soccer player
Parent Scores Victory Against Daughter's Abusive Coach
A parent contacted the Foundation regarding her daughter’s abusive basketball coach. The mother felt that the coach was verbally and emotionally abusive toward her daughter and other members of the basketball team. The mother said the coach has a long history of mentally and verbally abusing the girls. For example, she said the coach used profanity towards the players if they performed badly, made references about sexual acts and forced the team to practice longer if they lost games. The mother contacted other parents with similar concerns and scheduled a meeting with the athletic director to discuss the problems and lack of opportunities for the girls at their high school. The mother said the school has admitted that the coach did engage in illegal practices, but she believes the coach had not been disciplined because of the relationship he had with the administration. The Advocacy Department explained that Title IX prohibits sexual harassment and provided the mother with an attorney referral and recommended she contact the Office of Civil Rights. We also sent her
Verbal, Physical and Psychological Abuse of Athletes: The Foundation Position, a paper that explains what constitutes verbal and psychological harassment and how athletes and parents can stand up for the athletes’ rights.
The Advocacy Department also explained to her that the best situation seems to be “play the political game.” The parent had already begun this process, but to give her additional guidance we sent her the article
Step by Step: A Practical Guide to Assessing and Achieving Gender Equity, a resource that gives activists a detailed, step-by-step plan for achieving gender equity and for more ideas on how to develop an action plan.
Success:
The Advocacy Department’s advice worked! The parent followed the steps that we provided and met with administrators. Shortly after the meeting, the school conducted an investigation and concluded the coach was verbally and sexually abusive the players. As a result of the findings, the coach has quit and the school is searching for a new person to fill the position.
Applause to:
Kelly, WV, a concerned parent
Women's Professional Association Prevents Hostile Takeover
Jymmy Kay Davis, president of the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), contacted the Foundation for assistance because the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) was engaging in a hostile takeover and trying to assume exclusive control over women's rodeo barrel racing. Davis feared that a takeover would mean an end to equal treatment for women in this sport. The Advocacy Department assisted the women's association in devising a political strategy to prevent the takeover and created an action alert on the Foundation's Web site to encourage the sponsors of the national tournament not to exclude the Women's Professional Rodeo Association. This situation has progressed and the women's professional sport association has taken legal action against the men's organization.
Success:The trial between the WPRA and PRCA ended on an amazing note. The jury found the PCA guilty of misappropriation of the WPRA's business and breech of fiduciary duty. The WPRA was awarded $6.8 million. This was a tremendous victory for women in all sports, and especially for the oldest organized women's sporting association in America, the WPRA.
Applause to:Jymmy Kay Davis, WPRA President
Parents Fight for Daughters to Have Own Team
A mother contacted the Foundation for assistance in obtaining funding for a high school team for her daughter. Her daughter would like to start a girls' soccer team but the school was not willing to fund this team even though 54 girls at the school have expressed interest. Currently the school sponsors a boys' soccer team that has a few female players. The Advocacy Department explained that Title IX requires schools to provide comparable participation opportunities for its female and male athletes, and if the school was not fulfilling this requirement, the parent could use Title IX compliance as a venue to press for the addition of the team. We sent her
Playing Fair, a resource that explains Title IX rules and regulations to help athletes, coaches, parents and others better analyze their school's athletic programs;
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity, a resource that gives activists a detailed, step-by-step plan for achieving gender equity; and referred her to our online assessment tool to evaluate her school's compliance with Title IX.
Success:The Advocacy Department's advice worked! The parent followed-up with a Title IX attorney to pursue the compliance angle and apply legal pressure to the school. After months of negotiations, the school the school agreed to start a girls' soccer team for the 2008 spring season.
Applause to:Kim, soccer parent
Michigan
Baseball Goes to "Bat" For Equity
A female baseball player contacted the Foundation because she was told she could not play baseball because her school had a softball team. The Advocacy Department explained that under Title IX, a girl has the right to tryout for the school baseball team, even if a softball team exists. The Advocacy Department discussed with her how she should try to get support from parents, the athletic department, and the community, and educate them on Title IX and her rights to play baseball. We also sent her
Playing Fair and
Steps to Take to Get Gender Equity and walked her step-by-step through these processes and the best way to approach the situation.
Success:The Foundation's advice worked! After reading the information the Advocacy Department sent, this player went directly to the athletic director and educated him on the situation and her right to compete on the baseball team under Title IX. Two days later, the athletic director and the varsity coach gave her permission to tryout for the team. She is currently conditioning with the team and will tryout in February.
Applause to:Jeanette, baseball player
Slippery Rock University Athletes Honored for Standing Up for Equity
The Women's Sports Foundation honored 12 athletes of Slippery Rock University who filed a Title IX lawsuit against the school when it eliminated women's field hockey, women's swimming and women's water polo.
The members of these teams filed Title IX complaints against the school when they recognized they were receiving worse treatment than the boys' teams received. Slippery Rock soon after announced its decision to cut these women's teams.
After this decision came down the teams decided to sue the school under Title IX.
Success: The U.S. Chief District judge ordered Slippery Rock to reinstate all three teams and the 12 athletes reached a comprehensive settlement with the school. In April, the Women's Sports Foundation awarded the 12 athletes and three teams with Geena Takes Aim Resolutions in honor of their dedication to sport and commitment to equity. The Geena Takes Aim National Resolution is a Women's Sports Foundation recognition program honoring individuals and groups who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment in pursuit of gender equity, civil rights and social justice in sport.
Applause to:The 12 athletes who defended their rights under Title IX: Elizabeth Choike, Ashley Stoner, Heather Walbright, Jessica Student, Jennifer Venet, Alison Nuckols and other members of the Slippery Rock University women's water polo, field hockey and swimming teams.
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