How to Benefit From Title IX

The United States government, through Title IX, prohibits discrimination in education according to gender. All educational institutions that received federal funds must provide equal opportunities in all facets of education. This includes all public schools and universities and quite a few private colleges as well. Follow these steps to see how you benefit from Title IX.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Enjoy a supportive learning environment and revised standardized testing. Title IX mandates equitable classroom treatment for boys and girls, women and men. Your teachers receive training in overcoming discriminatory practices, and standardized tests are screened to eliminate questions that favor one gender.
2. Excel in math, science and technology regardless of your gender. Gone is the stereotype that said girls couldn't excel in math, science or computer science. Given equal opportunities and encouragement, girls prove they are every bit as capable as boys. High school finds more girls taking Advanced Placement physics and calculus tests.
3. Play hard in athletics. Although Title IX is strongly associated with equality in school sports, the original statute did not specify athletics at all. Still female participation in athletics has more than doubled at all levels. In high school, only 300,000 girls participated in limited sports before Title IX was passed. Today, that number exceeds two million.
4. Recognize that pregnancy is no longer a legal bar to education. Under Title IX, pregnant students have opportunities to continue their schooling, and young people of both sexes get help in developing parenting skills.
5. Thrive in an educational setting free from sexual harassment. No one should be forced to put up with inappropriate touching or sexual innuendos. Physical and verbal harassment should not be tolerated by or towards either sex, and with Title IX enforcement the environment is gradually improving.
6. Gain from increased opportunities after high school. Colleges have seen female admissions rise more than twenty percent since Title IX, and in fact, females make up the majority of college students. Discrimination in vocational training is also prohibited. Females cannot be turned away from higher paying fields like welding and electrical work that were previously limited to boys.