Enforce Title IX in U.S. High Schools
Title IX, the federal legislation that prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities, is one of the country's greatest successes. Today, five times as many girls participate in college sports and more than nine times as many girls compete at the high-school level.
But despite these gains, because the law doesn't require schools to publicly report data on their programs, female students still have fewer opportunities to play sports than male students. A bill currently in Congress would change this and ensure all high schools comply with Title IX.
Participation in sports helps combat obesity and improves girls' body image. Female athletes are also less likely to smoke, use drugs or experience an unintended pregnancy.
Schools already collect data on participation and funding, we just need to make sure the data is available to the public. Urge Congress to pass the High School Athletics Accountability Act.
Dear [Decision Maker],
As your constituent, and in honor of the 38th anniversary of Title IX in June, I strongly urge you to support the High School Athletics Accountability Act (H.R. 2882). This legislation would require that high schools report and make publicly available basic data on the number of female and male students participating in their athletic programs and the expenditures made for their sports teams.
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Your comments will be added here.]
Title IX's impact on women's athletic participation is one of the country's greatest successes. However, despite the significant gains girls and women have made since the law's enactment, female students receive 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than do male students.
A significant drawback to Title IX's enforcement at the high school level is the lack of data reporting. Schools already collect the required data on athletic opportunity, participation and funding under this legislation, but they are not required to make it publicly available. By requiring schools to make disclosures about their athletic offerings and expenses for male and female students, Congress would be taking positive, proactive steps to ensure compliance with Title IX.
By supporting this legislation, you are taking the first step to ensure that future generations of girls will be afforded the opportunities all athletes deserve. I urge you to hold high schools accountable for enforcing Title IX. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.
