Title IX

In 1972, a small, seemingly harmless paragraph was included in a piece of legislation known as the “Education Amendments of 1972.” This paragraph simply prohibited education opportunity discrimination based on a person’s gender. Despite its seeming insignificance, one researcher has noted that this one little paragraph “has probably had more impact on the American education system than any other piece of federal legislation.” Today, we know that paragraph by the name of “Title IX.”
 
The mention of Title IX usually leads one to think of athletics because it has historically been applied to collegiate sports programs. While the original Title IX legislation was undoubtedly influential in expanding sports opportunities for women, more recent enforcement methods of this law have caused a variety of problems. One of the most notable problems is the reduction in men’s athletic programs. In the process of ensuring that women were given equality in the athletic world, key variables such as female interest and availability were overlooked, and as a result, many male athletes have been snubbed and sidelined. 
 
In recent years, proponents of Title IX have been seeking to extend its influence into educational areas other than sports, such as math and science. Female participation in these areas has been traditionally lower than that of males, and supporters of Title IX insist that this trend is a direct result of discrimination. However, many others feel that lower female participation in the mathematic, scientific, and athletic arenas are directly related to the intrinsic differences between men and women, and hence should not be regulated by the state.
 
This library section deals with the numerous issues and implications that Title IX holds for men, women, and the education sector in general. It also presents the progression of government regulation and litigation that has been the unfortunate result of a good idea gone bad.