Women, Girls & Their Families Mobilize to Protect Title IX

For immediate release: February 5, 2003 Contact: Margot Friedman or Camden Richards at 202-588-5180

WOMEN, GIRLS & THEIR FAMILIES MOBILIZE TO PROTECT TITLE IX

Statement of Marcia D. Greenberger on the Launch of "Save Title IX" National Public Education Campaign

My name is Marcia Greenberger and I am the Co-President of the National Women's Law Center. I want to thank the organizations that sponsor National Girls and Women in Sports Day -- Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls Inc., the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, the YWCA, and the Women's Sports Foundation - and all the supporters that are here today. This annual event is an important one for acknowledging and encouraging the participation and accomplishments of girls and women in sports and honoring the memory of Olympic champion Flo Hyman. I want to also express my gratitude for the support of long-time Title IX champion Senator Birch Bayh and the wonderful Holly Hunter, who will be speaking in a few moments.

As we come together today, Title IX athletics policies - the very policies that have done so much to open the doors of athletic opportunity to millions of girls and young women in this country -- are under serious attack. Last week, the Department of Education's Commission on Opportunity in Athletics, over the vigorous objections of some Commissioners, approved a range of radical and sweeping proposals to change Title IX policies that have withstood the test of time for over 20 years. These are the policies that interpret and give life to Title IX. These are the policies that have been in place through both Democratic and Republication Administrations and have been upheld by every appellate court to review them - including in just the last few months.

Some have characterized the Commission's long list of proposed changes as minor and moderate. Nothing could be further from the truth. Make no mistake about it. If accepted by the Bush Administration, the Commission's proposals would dramatically reduce the sports participation opportunities and scholarships to which women and girls are entitled under the law. They ask Secretary Paige and the President, with a stroke of a pen, to change these policies without approval from Congress or the courts.

Despite the fact that Title IX's job is far from finished, the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics would allow schools to be found in compliance with Title IX while falling far short of equal opportunity. Many of the proposals would allow schools to artificially inflate the number of male athletes and artificially deflate the number of female athletes. To pretend that there are fewer female students on campus who deserve a chance to play. To limit women's opportunities by forcing them to prove they are interested in sports before giving them a chance to play.

The Bush Administration must reject the Commission's proposals and should instead more strongly enforce existing Title IX policies. Our daughters must not be relegated to second-class status on the nation's college and high school playing fields. Their rights to equal access to the benefits that flow from sports participation - improved physical health, increased self-esteem, better grades and enhanced chances for success in the workplace - are at stake.

That is why the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education is today announcing a national public education campaign to Save Title IX. And why the National Women's Law Center will be fighting in that campaign. As you will hear, mothers, daughters, fathers and brothers across the county are mobilizing to tell the Bush Administration not to change Title IX policies. Just as we have prevailed against threats to Title IX in the past, we must, and we can, once again, save Title IX and resist any attempt to turn back the clock on equal opportunity for women and girls. Take action now to oppose any changes to Title IX athletics policies!