Title IX was put in place to make sure that sports and athletics were fair and both men and women had the same opportunities. It not only protects athletes, but employees of institutions as well. In short Title IX makes sure there is no biased or unfair treatment in every aspect of schooling, including athletics. It has opened doors for people everywhere in the field of education.
Title IX was introduced as part of the 1964 civil rights act. Its goal is to promote fairness throughout the field of education. Title IX cover students, faculty, and staff in school programs funded by the government. It protects all elementary and secondary schools as well as colleges and universities. It also extends to schools that receive federal money such as grants, internships, and school to work programs. Finally Title IX also covers federal educational programs run by other organizations, some examples of these include: health care and correctional facilities, businesses, and unions.
The principles of Title IX have to be enforced by a Title IX coordinator, which is appointed to every school by law. Anybody in the district of the school can file a complaint. The complaint can then be taken to the office of civil rights. As a penalty for violating a principle of Title IX money can be docked from a school or institution. Although no money has been docked from federal institutions schools have had to pay damage fees and attorney fees for cases brought to court.
Title IX requires that all students receive the same athletic opportunities. Some more specific factors include: the availability of programs, the quality of programs, the kind of benefits and the treatment that athletes receive. Title IX has 3 aspects when applied to athletic programs. As far as participation Title IX must maintain an equal ratio of males to females in sports. Another aspect is that a fair amount of the budget money must go to both sexes depending on how many people of each sex are in the school.
For example, if there were more females than males in the school the females would receive more of the schools budget money. The principles of Title IX of fair treatment between males and females also apply in places and positions such as: coaching, game and practice times, locker rooms, recruiting of athletes, etc. The amount of money spent on male and female programs may differ as long as the same quality is met and there are no lower standards in one program. For example men's basketball equipment may cost a bit more than women's basketball equipment but it wouldn't matter as long as quality is equal.
Under Title IX schools may not offer separate courses based on sex and they can't prohibit someone from taking a course based on their gender. Separation is only allowed in sex education courses and gym activities that require a lot of contact such as football or hockey. This is mostly for fairness and safety due to the fact that men are typically bigger than most women.
Title IX has effected women's sports very positively it creates a fair environment in all sports and tries to ensure that females are treated fairly and respectably in the field of athletics and Physical Education. Without title IX I wouldn't doubt that female athletes would be seen as inferior and discriminated against. Title IX is really influential to females because without it we would be experiencing a form of segregation in the world of sports and athletics.
With all this being said. It is clear that Title IX has done wonders for females' rights in sports as well as the tights of everyone in schools and institutions as well. I think it is a huge step in the field of civil rights in general. Without title IX we would probably be stuck in an environment of segregation. This is something that I would think would be very negative in the society we live in and I'm glad protection like title IX exists for the people of the U.S.
