How to Write a Petition
With a team, your case will have additional credibility if you have a petition that demonstrates your support for Title IX compliance. Don’t clutter your petition with information or requests that have no essential connection to the main message. Read over your petition carefully, trying to make sure it is clear and concise. Make sure it:
1. Describes the situation,
2. Suggests what is needed, and
3. Explains why it is needed.
Here is an example of a student petition to administrators.
Description/History
Dear Athletic Director, Stepup High School:
On Friday, October 10th, 14 members of the Title IX Advocacy group made school-wide observations regarding gender inequities in sports. Our findings included the following realities, all advantaging boys and their athletic programs.
1. [List very specific concerns] Parents of boys’ and girls’ varsity teams work at the snack booth for all football and basketball games, but the money they raise only supports boys’ major sports.
2. When a boy gets his first sports letter, he’s able to buy a letter jacket (that’s sized and styled for him). Even if a girl wanted a jacket, there’s nothing available.
3. We have these huge seasonal pep rallies for the boys’ sports, but the girl athletes are not included at all.
4. [List any additional concerns]…
The federal Title IX law guarantees that gender should not determine the quality or quantity of a student’s athletic experience in our school.
We, the undersigned, recognize that our school has not been playing fair for girls’ sports, and we call on the administration and the athletic department to remedy the situation. We request a full athletic assessment of our school’s compliance with Title IX and a planned and speedy achievement of the law’s requirements by July of this year.
Name Address/Contact information
1._____________________ _____________________________
2._____________________ ______________________________
Click here to write and distribute a petition electronically.
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