By Terri Lakowski
Mother Scores Winning "Ticket"
A mother contacted the Foundation because she was fed up with her daughter's high school's treatment of the female athletes. Her primary concern was that the publicity and support of the girls' basketball team was not equal to that of the boys. Unlike the boys' games, the girls' games did not have cheerleaders performing, nor does the school charge admission for the games. The mother had been reading articles on the Foundation Web site and began to follow the Advocacy Department's Step by Step Guide To Achieving Gender Equity. She met with the athletic director, school superintendent and school board and relayed her concerns. Following our advice, she continued applying pressure to the school and succeeded!
Success:The school began charging admission to the girls' basketball games. At the girls' first home basketball game, the athletic director himself was at the door collecting admission.
Geena's Hero:Rosie, basketball parent
Johnson City, New York
Athletes, Parents Restore Sports Program
Parents and coaches from Plainedge High School contacted the Foundation for assistance after the school district eliminated all sports programs from the middle school and high school after its proposed budget failed to pass. These cuts impacted over 500 student athletes. In order for the programs to be reinstated, the student athletes, parents and coaches would have to raise the necessary funds.
Success:Through the hard work of many within the Plainedge community, $575,000 was successfully raised to restore all varsity and junior varsity sports programs for the 2005-2006 school year.
Geena's Heroes:The athletes, parents, coaches and Plainedge community members that pulled together to raise money to fund their athletic programs.
Victory ‘Laps:' Women's Swimming and Diving Team Protects Program
Members of women's swimming and diving team at Florida A & M University contacted the Foundation after the university eliminated their program in July 2005 due to budgetary concerns. The Foundation referred the callers to the national public interest law firm Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, which was prepared to file a sex discrimination lawsuit against the university for its failure to comply with Title IX unless it reinstated the program. For more information on this case, please Click here.
Success:Florida A & M agreed to reinstate the women's swimming and diving team this season.
Geena's Heroes:The athletes and parents of the women's swimming and diving team who stood up for their rights!
"Lights," Camera, ACTION!
A group of high school softball parents had been trying to get lights for the girls' softball field for the past two years. Because the field did not have lights, many of the girls' games were canceled. The boys' baseball team had received new lights from money obtained through fundraising, and with the help of school volunteers. The softball parents tried to model the baseball team's efforts and enlist the help of the school volunteers. The school board, however, forbade the softball parents from using the volunteers, claiming that it would be a liability to the school. One of the softball parents contacted the Foundation in April for advice. The softball parent group followed the Advocacy Department's
Steps to Gender Equity including putting media pressure on the school and speaking before the school board.
Success:The school board agreed to offset the added cost of not using the volunteers and provide new lights for the softball team.
Geena's Hero:Carolyn, softball parent
Summersville, W.V.
Volleyball Player Defends Her Rights
A high school volleyball player contacted the Foundation seeking advice how to best advocate for new uniforms for her team. She thought that the school administrators and coaches did not understand that outfitting herself and her teammates in uniforms and equipment that was sub-par to the men had a detrimental effect on her and her teammates. The athlete followed the Advocacy Department's
Steps to Gender Equity, including organizing her teammates and talking to the school administrators.
Success:The school administrators agreed to buy new uniforms for the women's volleyball team.
Geena's Hero:Amy, high school volleyball player
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