Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) applauds the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for taking a significant step in the fight to protect the integrity of women’s sports. The ED Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has correctly ruled that the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) and associated schools are in violation of Title IX regulations prohibiting sex discrimination for denying female student-athletes benefits and opportunities in girls’ track by allowing the participation of male students. Among the findings: “CIAC treated students differently based on sex, by denying opportunities and benefits to female student-athletes that were available to male student-athletes.”
CWA filed a similar civil rights complaint at the college level against Franklin Pierce University for unfairly winning a national NCAA title in the 400-meter women’s hurdles with a biological male athlete. That case is still under investigation by OCR, and we believe a similar action should follow.
Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America, had this to say:
“Concerned Women for America supporters from around the country have stood at the forefront of the fight to protect equal opportunity in women’s sports. We applaud the Office for Civil Rights for finally taking action to recognize that female athletes are being denied their rights and that schools are violating the law.
“From middle school sports to the Olympics, our daughter athletes are being bullied by activists and sidelined by silence. They simply want to compete on a level playing field against athletes of their own sex. That is what Title IX achieved for female athletes over 40 years ago.
“The ruling in this case shows just how twisted and off-track women’s sports has become, and it carries a warning for all schools: don’t deny female athletes equal opportunity. CWA urges swift action on our complaint in college sports where the NCAA and member schools continue to trample the rights of female college athletes.
“This is not a left or right issue. Women and girls, regardless of political persuasion, deserve to have the laws that protect us respected and followed, ensuring equal opportunities and benefits in sports for all female athletes.”
