Despite claims that he is in favor of Dgender equality in athletics, Rep. Dennis Hastert (D-IL) continues his attack on Title IX, the federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in federally-funded education including athletics.
Hastert, a former high school wrestling coach, pushed the House of Representatives to hold a hearing on Title IX in May. At issue: was Title IX being applied in such a way that it hurt men's minor sports?
Hastert and other men's coaches said yes. They claim that the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Education is forcing universities to drop men's minor sports, such as wrestling, gymnastics, and swimming, in order to offer equal opportunities for women and men in athletics. They insisted on this point despite the protests of Norma Cantu, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the Department of Education, who pointed out that OCR leaves it up to t e individual university how they wish to comply with Noriii(i Calitil the law, and that OCR recommends against dropping men's teams.
After the hearing, women's groups hoped there would be no more attacks on Title IX. Unfortunately Rep. Hastert thought differently. He asked members of the House to sign on to a letter to Erma Cantu asking her to change the way Title IX is implemented.
The most dangerous of Hastert's requests is that universities and colleges be allowed to measure student interest in athletics using surveys, and then offer the corresponding number of opportunities.
"This strategy is nothing more than a way to continue to discriminate against women," said Molly Yard, Chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation's Task Force on Women and Girls in Sports. "Because most colleges spend much more money recruiting men athletes than women athletes, most colleges have many more men athletes. Therefore, any survey of current student interest would automatically support the status quo, and would not allow women athletes to ever achieve equality." In addition, because most high schools also offer more sports for boys than girls, surveys of prospective students would also be skewed to favor male athletics.
Women's groups including the Feminist Majority are lobbying against any attempt to weaken the way Title IX is enforced. Members of the House Women's Caucus led by Reps. Patsy Mink (D-HI) and Lynn Woolsey (DWA) have sent their own letter to Norma Cantu, expressing strong support for Title IX.