More Title IX support needed

On June 17, 2002, I had the honor to preside over the California
Assembly in a ceremony at the State Capitol celebrating the 30th
anniversary of Title IX.

Title IX is the landmark federal legislation that prohibits
discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and
activities by educational institutions receiving federal funds.

This inspiring event brought together world-class professional
women athletes, Olympic medal winners and young girls who were
thrilled to meet their idols. They had the opportunity to try on
medals these female athletes had won through their years of
hard-work and determination.

Brandi Chastain, whose winning goal helped win the 1999 World
Cup Soccer championship, spoke to the legislature about what Title
IX has meant to her and how it has positively impacted her
life.

Prior to the passage of Title IX, opportunities for girls and
women to participate in sports were very limited. I still remember
my experience in high school of having to wait to play basketball
until the boys were done with the gym, which meant missing the last
bus home. Sometimes, it meant entering a dark gym because the
janitor had already turned out the lights and gone home for the
night.

In 1970, young women’s participation in high-school
athletic programs was one in every 27. Today, the participation
rate is one in every 2.5, while the participation rate for young
men has remained at one in every two programs since 1970.

We provide our young people with opportunities to participate in
high school and collegiate athletics because they are important
learning experiences. Young men and women learn goal-setting,
teambuilding and strategizing. They learn to take criticism, and
build self-confidence.

All these things will help them succeed in their adult lives.
Studies have shown young women who participate in sports attain
higher grades and are more likely to graduate. They are less likely
to smoke, abuse alcohol and drugs, and are less likely to be
sexually active and become pregnant.

There are those who worry that Title IX, in providing
opportunities for girls, has eliminated programs for boys in the
process. The facts tell a different story. Though some men’s
wrestling programs have been cut, we have seen a huge increase in
men’s soccer, basketball and baseball programs.

Similarly, women’s gymnastics programs have been sharply
reduced, while women’s swimming programs have increased
commensurately.

In other words, adjustments are being made as more popular
sports replace less popular ones. Just as overall opportunities for
men have improved, the overall opportunities for women have
substantially improved.

Nonetheless, 80 percent of all colleges are not in compliance
with the intent of Title IX. While women represent 54 percent of
college students, female athletes only receive 36 percent of sports
operating dollars, 42 percent of college athletic scholarship
dollars, 32 percent of athletic team recruiting spending.

UCLA has made a commitment to increasing athletic opportunities
for women by adding women’s soccer, water polo and, most
recently, women’s rowing. According to the United States
Department of Education women represent 52 percent of the total
full-time undergraduates enrolled at UCLA, but only 43 percent of
the opportunities in athletics are available to women. UCLA women
athletes receive 34 percent of the total operating dollars, 47
percent of the athletic scholarship dollars and 32 percent of
athletic team recruiting dollars.

UCLA’s continued commitment to women’s athletics has
paid off with 20 women’s championships since 1982.

On October 16, 2002, the California State Assembly Select
Committee on Title IX, of which I am co-chair, held its first
informational hearing at UCLA’s James West Alumni Center.
UCLA athletes Jill Oakes and Nandi Pryce testified to the positive
opportunities and experiences that participation in athletics has
given them while advocates urged the Committee Members to continue
to increase athletic and educational opportunities for all
students.

On November 20, 2002 in San Diego, President Bush’s
Commission on Opportunities in Athletics will convene a Town Hall
to examine the necessity of making changes to Title IX. In a time
where Title IX is being challenged, we must continue to urge the
United States Congress and the president to stand firm in their
commitment to Title IX and pursue a strong enforcement policy.
Legislators must come together across gender and party lines to
support opportunities for all our children to learn, to compete and
to succeed together.

Our efforts must continue to ensure that boys and girls have the
opportunity to experience the pride and satisfaction of
participating in the excitement and challenges that athletics
provide. Given the importance of Title IX, how far we have come,
and how far we need to go, we must commit to continuing to move
forward in this important work.