The goal of Title IX was to bring equity to education in all forms, from the classroom experience, to all kinds of extra curricular activities. Title IX has probably become most famous for what it has done for female athletes. An event occurred at the high school I teach at this week that has me wondering whether Title IX was violated.
Typically, the school has one fall pep rally and one winter pep rally. (Don't ask me why spring sport athletes are not promoted). The fall pep rally was scheduled for two weeks from now. At these pep rallies, all of the athletes, male and female, are promoted to the entire school. Each team is introduced and cheers are done for them.
This past week it was announced that there would be a special pep rally held this week for the football team only. It was done without consulting teachers and students. Coaches of the other fall sports were upset that only the football team would get their own rally. Athletes from other sports were upset, some of female athletes were nearly in tears because their teams were also doing well, and they could not understand why they could not be promoted and recognized.
When the Athletic Director was questioned about this, his response was that the football team brings in money and deserves to have extra attention. He also stated that all of the other athletes would have to "get over it." The acting principal was upset that anyone would even question his decision to have a football only pep rally. Both of them stated that no other teams would be given their own rallies.
I started researching and found that a mother in New York filed a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights because at her daughter's school, the boys teams were being promoted and the girls teams were not. The boys teams had cheerleaders, pep bands, and even charged for tickets. The OCR ended up ruling that girls teams must be given the same publication and promotion as boys teams.
Is anyone familiar with Title IX and the OCR? Do you think a complaint should be filed with the OCR? Is this a winning complaint?