Title IX Compliance: Literature Review

Only forty percent of women know what Title IX means or enforces, according to a survey given to twenty women of the Veteran Affairs clinic of Danville, Illinois (Women of the VA). This survey shows that even though Title IX has been a successfully enforced law, not everyone has heard about it or understands how it has impacted their lives and futures. Therefore, people have to ask, “What exactly is Title IX?” Amanda Ross Edwards writes, “ Title IX states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance” (Edwards). This demonstrates how Title IX is a very important part of history, and has helped create and enforce equality among everyone, in all situations. Throughout history, the application of Title IX has helped improve the perception of women in many areas and has enabled women to be successful in their daily lives.

The search term I used to search for this article was Title IX in sport. I used the OneSearch Database through UNF’s online library. I selected this study because it focuses on the impact of Title IX on the career opportunities in intercollegiate athletic administration.

Sexual harassment has been a problem in school situations; it inhibits a student's ability to learn since the student concentrates on the problem of dealing with the harassment instead of concentrating on her education. This occurrence of harassment can make a student fearful of going to school, fearful of authority figures and distrustful of adults in general. A woman who either is fearful or distrustful of men or women at an early age can suffer social inhibitions prohibiting her advancement through life. Title IX's prohibition on sexual harassment frees students from these fears and leaves them able to lead a normal life. Although Title IX does not eliminate the possibility of sexual harassment altogether, it does provide recourse to the student and the student's family through means of liability damages. Restrictions are placed on when the liability comes into effect, but it is a step forward in dealing with sexual harassment.

Imagine being a female athlete before 1972, you practice playing basketball everyday just like the boys do, but they have multiple scholarship opportunities to go to college where as females do not. They tell you to be a cheerleader or work in the kitchen and stay at home, but in your heart you are a competitor and have a passion for sports. This is a feeling that many females felt before Title IX; was explicated to give female’s gender equality in sports. Title IX has positively affected women’s sports over the years, but can negatively impact men’s teams, especially within the collegiate field. Title IX has changed budgeting and participation numbers between males and females, while opening up several opportunities for women. I am going to inform you how Title IX affects females and males in collegiate and high school sports, the history about Title IX, facts and statistics, how it has positively changed the way women participate in sports, and what it has to do with race and minorities.

Since Title IX, women have had incredible career opportunities and have been diversifying the workplace since receiving the education that was not offered before ("Career”). Women are constantly breaking boundaries set in the past as now many women make up the fields of career and study that were thought to only be for men (Musil). In a 2006 study researchers found that women made up thirty three percent of lawyers and also made up twenty seven percent of doctors ranging from pediatrics, general family medicine, or internal medicine practice (Musil). Title IX specifically states that schools are not allowed to shut down courses or refuse courses to women legally if they receive federal funding from the government.

While Title IX is often thought of “the women’s sports bill”, the history and progression of Title IX suggests a far more complex history. In fact, as Amanda Ross Edwards suggests, Title IX’s shift was reaction to public conflict about the bill that was spurred after the bill’s creation. The conflicts surrounding the development of Title IX suggests that debates about who should be included in educational spaces and who should be excluded from those spaces did not cease upon the Brown vs. Board of Education or after the development of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As we examine the controversy and discourse of Title IX—especially regarding women in sports—it becomes clear that the American public was still very much interested in creating

Oversight of the implementation of TITLE IX was given to the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which is based on protecting the civil rights within federally assisted education programs.

Violation of Title IX in any capacity can result in lawsuits filed by students and/or employees as well as massive fines, and, ultimately, loss of accreditation for the institution, particularly if investigations reveal any other unlawful activity. Loss of accreditation would result in the loss of all federal financial aid. Enrollment, retention, and faculty employment would plummet dramatically.

Women presently play a huge part in daily activities whether it is at school, sports, or work. Over the past three decades, women have gained many rights and privileges that men have had for half a century or longer. Gaining these rights and privileges has allowed women to play important roles in today's society. One of the most debated issues between men and women is Title IX. This issue has created controversial problems that have caused a separation between men and women. Although, Title IX is constantly brought up, it was the beginning of a new era for women. An era that would allow women to be accepted as equals to men in everyday activities.

Title IX is most often heard of when talking about sports but it actually covers a multitude of areas in daily life. Without gender equality in the world,, one sex would rule the world and the other would be left with nothing. Title IX has introduced gender equality in many areas of our daily lives and without it America would not be the country it is today. Title IX has changed the way that the American society views gender equality in exploitation (such as sexual harassment), athletics, education, and careers.

Title IX has impacted the society in so many different levels now more women are pursuing a higher education, especially since some

Reynolds, Gerald. Letter to public; "Department of Education Closes Book on Title IX" (July 22, 2003)

"Title IX protects all students at recipient institutions from sex discrimination, including sexual violence. Any student can experience sexual violence: from elementary to professional school students; male and female students; straight,

     Title IX did much more than what the average mind thinks of when they hear the words: Title IX. I personally was interested in what people thought of when they heard this and did two simple interviews, one of my grandpa’s, a 73 year old man, and also interviewed my friend, Samm, who is a 19 year old female who just recently

Original Paragraph: The Title IX of educational amendments banned sex discrimination in schools in academics or athletics. Although the athletic aspect of the Title IX did not directly affect me, as I play no sports, the academic portion certainly did. Prior to the Title IX, many schools would refuse to admit women, or would limit the number of women they would admit. Since the passing of Title IX, a larger percentage of women have gone on to further their education. Because of Title IX, I am now able to further my education by obtaining my Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.