Title IX’s legacy goes beyond athletics

On June 23, Title IX turns 45. If it weren’t for Title IX — or the Patsy Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act as it’s now known — many women would have been denied access to athletics and the associated scholarships.

In fact, if you ask most people about Title IX, its impact on women’s collegiate sports would probably be the typical response. It is the most public-facing policy that most people see. It eliminated discrimination in any “education program or activity” that received federal funding. It translated into resources for University of Hawaii Wahine volleyball, basketball, softball and all manner of sports scholarships. We should not forget that Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Sabrina McKenna and other outstanding athlete-scholars were able to go university on a scholarship.

But Title IX is so much more than that. Authored by Hawaii’s late Congresswoman Patsy Mink, Title IX was meant to address the shortcomings of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Then-President Lyndon Johnson attempted to remedy the situation with a series of executive orders.

Though Title IX was initially meant to address hiring and employment in institutions that received federal money, meaning it would apply to practically every college and university, it blossomed into a law that had positive, far-reaching consequences for females who worked in schools, and more importantly, students.

Title IX addresses gender biases and gives teachers the tools to fight those biases in their lessons. It protects pregnant students and students with children, giving equal access to education to those students. It strives to provide a safe learning environment, free of sexual bias, harassment or assault.

In recent years, Title IX has been a tool for efforts to stop sexual harassment and assault in schools and universities that receive federal funds. Title IX policies have been adopted in universities nationwide, with Title IX counselors on most campuses, and training for teachers and students. If sexual harassment or sexual assault happens, Title IX requires that the school address the problem and that it take steps to eliminate the hostile environment. It also ensures care of the survivor.

There is a heightened sense of urgency at the Legislature and on UH campuses. Among the community and university leadership, it resulted in a number of initiatives. System-wide policies and new programs responded to calls to ensure a safe and respectful environment for students and employees. Procedures and training for reporting and investigating incidents, protections for victims, and justice for the accused were set into place.

The most encouraging development has been the increase of Title IX counselors on K-12 campuses nationwide; federal funding helps to support those schools as well. In Hawaii, our most recent state budget included 15 Title IX coordinators who will identify and train counselors for our state public school system. Soon, parents, teachers, students and administrators in the K-12 system will have those tools to protect vulnerable students. While Hawaii is far behind the rest of the nation on this issue, it is a great start, and only waits for Gov. David Ige to sign the budget.

Thanks to Title IX, women can attend college to learn and to contribute to society. They are free to pursue their interests, knowing that because of this law, they have a right to be there and to be educated without harassment. And hopefully, those protections will also be found in our public school system.

Title IX has touched practically every woman who attended any college in the United States. While there are still gender issues that need to be addressed in colleges and universities, we are further along because of Title IX and stronger because of it.

Amy Monk and Jean Evans are members of AAUW (American Association of University Women) Honolulu.