Title IX: Leveling the Playing Field Essay -- gender equity in sports

How does one define the success of a high school and college? Is it through standardized test scores, graduates, and college applicants? Is it through winning games and playing beyond the school? Yes, in fact it’s all of these things. America is based on freedom and equality. America is created with â€Å"Liberty and Justice for All†. America is only now starting to treat women as the equals they are. Although Title IX has improved athletic opportunities for women, the ratio of women to men athletic funds is uneven because of the revenue main stream men’s sports bring to the schools. As colleges grew in people and pride, football became the new sensation. With the predominant â€Å"football schools† nationwide, female athletic programs weren’t given much thought. Football provides the schools funding through its massive packed stands. The revenue made funneled back into the football programs and left little funding for any other sport, male or female. In 1972, the nation finally decided to make a stand, and force schools to create and sponsor other athletic teams for females, besides cheerleading and square dancing. Title IX was enacted in 1972 by President Richard Nixon. It â€Å"requires† gender equity for boys and girls in every educational program that is federally funded. Many people do not even know that Title IX exists, or if they do, that it applies to more than sports. However it applies to sports, access to higher education, career education, education for pregnant and parenting students, employment, learning environment, math and science, sexual harassment, standardized testing and technology. It forced schools to even the playing field and implement women’s sporting teams. Before Title IX, it was nearly impossible to get a f... ...011. Davis, Paula M. "Imagine Fund Will Offer Race and Gender-based Scholarships in Response to 2006 Anti-affirmative Action Law." MLive. Michigan Live LLC, 20 Aug. 2008. Web. 06 Feb. 2011. Grant, Christine. "A Title IX Presentation." Bailiwick. The University of Iowa Libraries, 25 Sept. 1995. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Lopiano, Donna. "Title IX Q & A - Women's Sports Foundation." Title IX. Women's Sports Foundation, 26 May 2005. Web. 10 Feb. 2011. Rhode, Deborah L., and Christopher J. Walker. "Gender Equity in College Athletics: Women Coaches as a Case Study." NCAA. National College Athletics Association, 26 Mar. 2008. Web. 6 Feb. 2011. Weistart, John. "Equal Opportunity? Title IX and Intercollegiate Sports." Wilson Web, Fall 1998. Web. 2 Feb. 2011. "Christine Grant | Sports Management Resources." Our Consultants. Sports Management Resources. Web. 10 Feb. 2011.