New developments concerning Title IX

Title IX is the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education, and while Title IX addresses a wide variety of educational issues, issues relating to athletics are the most contentious. Through Title IX, the federal government is attempting to right the wrongs of past discrimination by requiring schools that receive federal funds to give men and women an equal opportunity to play sports. The law provides for three methods by which schools can meet this requirement: proportionality, an ongoing practice of expanding athletic opportunities for the under‐represented sex, or an athletic programme that accommodates the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex. Critics state that Title IX forces high schools and colleges to cut men’s sports programmes in order to meet the requirements of the law. This article will discuss recent court cases, articles, and events surrounding Title IX and how these events may affect the future of the law.