Title IX turns 50
BY Sierra Wells/Managing editor
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 has changed the way different genders are treated in educational environments, including at Tarleton State University.
According to the United States Department of Justice, Title IX prevents sex-based discrimination in educational entities, activities and events that accept federal funding.
Both sexual harassment and sexual violence are examples of sex-based discrimination that Title IX is meant to end.
Junior Rachel Carpenter has witnessed equal educational opportunities as a result of Title IX.
“It’s definitely a good thing. It provides for equal opportunities, doesn’t matter what sex you are, whatever,” Carpenter said. “We see it a lot in the nursing, just because it is a female dominated area, but it’s not just the females that they want to succeed. If there’s a male in the class, they want them to succeed too, and they push for both of us to be equal so not one over the other.”
Tarleton’s website provides Title IX information accessible to students and faculty as well as a Civil Rights Complaint Reporting Form that can be filled out anonymously.
According to Section 51.252 of the Texas Education Code, Tarleton employees made aware of any incident that violates Title IX are required to report this information, or they will be disciplined by the university, with possibility of dismissal.
The Tarleton CEO Summary Data Report for the 2020-2021 academic year shows 81 reports were submitted under Section 51.252. Only one of these reports went under investigation, and one was concluded with an informal resolution.
Before Title IX was passed by Congress, female students and faculty in the educational field faced discrimination.
In 1970, Statista reported only 8.2% of women in the United States finished four or more years of college, while 14.1% of U.S. men completed the same number of years.
However, as Title IX went into effect over time, the educational gap was slowly bridged. In fact, in 2020, the number of U.S women who completed four or more years of college increased to 38.3%, while the percentage for men was at 36.7%.
Carpenter has personally seen through her family how Title IX has impacted women in the educational field.
“I think it’s actually a really good thing, so my grandma went to nursing school, but in order for her to be at nursing school, she was not allowed to be married, and so she had to drop out of school to get married and wasn’t allowed to continue her education,” She said. “Whereas I’m in nursing school, and I’m married, and I don’t have to drop out.”
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