WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.840 align:middle line:10% - As we approach the 50th anniversary of Title IX, 00:00:03.840 --> 00:00:06.960 align:middle line:10% what do you think the greatest impact of this law 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:08.730 align:middle line:10% has been over the years? 00:00:08.730 --> 00:00:09.630 align:middle line:10% - Access. 00:00:09.630 --> 00:00:10.530 align:middle line:10% Access. 00:00:10.530 --> 00:00:13.110 align:middle line:10% I recently had a panel discussion 00:00:13.110 --> 00:00:18.330 align:middle line:10% where I was on a panel with the great Sue Bird. 00:00:18.330 --> 00:00:20.550 align:middle line:90% And she was asked this question. 00:00:20.550 --> 00:00:24.330 align:middle line:90% And she said, access. 00:00:24.330 --> 00:00:29.220 align:middle line:84% There's much more access for girls and for women athletes. 00:00:29.220 --> 00:00:32.640 align:middle line:90% And we have a ways to go. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:33.540 align:middle line:90% - What are some-- 00:00:33.540 --> 00:00:35.023 align:middle line:84% you sort of hit a little bit on it, 00:00:35.023 --> 00:00:36.690 align:middle line:84% but what are some of the biggest success 00:00:36.690 --> 00:00:40.680 align:middle line:84% stories of Title IX as it pertains to athletics 00:00:40.680 --> 00:00:41.740 align:middle line:90% over that time period? 00:00:41.740 --> 00:00:43.448 align:middle line:84% - There was one case I wanted to tell you 00:00:43.448 --> 00:00:46.440 align:middle line:84% about that 10 years ago at Merrimack College, 00:00:46.440 --> 00:00:48.520 align:middle line:90% there was concerns about access. 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:53.460 align:middle line:84% And as a result of that, a women's ice hockey team 00:00:53.460 --> 00:00:54.840 align:middle line:90% was created. 00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:58.920 align:middle line:84% And 10 years later, we learned that several 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:01.890 align:middle line:84% of those students, those women athletes, 00:01:01.890 --> 00:01:04.050 align:middle line:84% competed in the Olympics in that sport. 00:01:04.050 --> 00:01:06.200 align:middle line:84% Obviously, there's a lot of work to do. 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:07.950 align:middle line:84% We have to keep our foot on the gas pedal. 00:01:07.950 --> 00:01:08.857 align:middle line:90% We can't slow down. 00:01:08.857 --> 00:01:11.190 align:middle line:84% Especially now where there's a culture of discrimination 00:01:11.190 --> 00:01:12.300 align:middle line:90% in some of our states. 00:01:12.300 --> 00:01:15.930 align:middle line:84% - There's a women's sports advocacy group called Champion 00:01:15.930 --> 00:01:18.630 align:middle line:84% Women that has taken a look at this issue 00:01:18.630 --> 00:01:23.760 align:middle line:84% and has analyzed the data that your department collect 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:29.430 align:middle line:84% and determined that 96% of NCAA schools across all three 00:01:29.430 --> 00:01:34.050 align:middle line:84% divisions are failing to meet all of the gender equity 00:01:34.050 --> 00:01:38.550 align:middle line:84% requirements under Title IX, and that only seven or 2% 00:01:38.550 --> 00:01:41.490 align:middle line:84% of Division one schools are meeting all the three 00:01:41.490 --> 00:01:44.280 align:middle line:84% requirements to provide equal opportunity 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:49.440 align:middle line:90% for women and female athletes. 00:01:49.440 --> 00:01:51.360 align:middle line:90% Are you aware of those numbers? 00:01:51.360 --> 00:01:52.900 align:middle line:84% - While I can't speak to their data, 00:01:52.900 --> 00:01:55.440 align:middle line:84% I will tell you that we have work to do. 00:01:55.440 --> 00:01:59.210 align:middle line:84% I am proud of the progress and many other-- 00:01:59.210 --> 00:02:00.690 align:middle line:90% with other data points. 00:02:00.690 --> 00:02:05.910 align:middle line:84% For example, in 1972, there were only 300,000 girls 00:02:05.910 --> 00:02:07.590 align:middle line:84% competing in high school athletics. 00:02:07.590 --> 00:02:10.169 align:middle line:84% Today, that number is 3.4 million. 00:02:10.169 --> 00:02:12.030 align:middle line:90% In college, it was similar. 00:02:12.030 --> 00:02:17.400 align:middle line:84% The numbers went up, I think, 30,000 to now 150,000 women 00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:18.480 align:middle line:90% athletes in college. 00:02:18.480 --> 00:02:19.560 align:middle line:90% There is progress. 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:21.150 align:middle line:84% There's still a lot of work to do. 00:02:21.150 --> 00:02:22.720 align:middle line:90% It really is all of our effort. 00:02:22.720 --> 00:02:26.010 align:middle line:84% And we've been very intentional at the Department of Education 00:02:26.010 --> 00:02:28.560 align:middle line:84% in this first year of our administration to make sure 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:30.450 align:middle line:84% that we're shifting from only a compliance 00:02:30.450 --> 00:02:33.060 align:middle line:84% mentality to creating a culture of inclusivity. 00:02:33.060 --> 00:02:36.120 align:middle line:84% I've been very vocal about the importance of inclusivity 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:38.490 align:middle line:84% for our LGBTQ students, partly because I want 00:02:38.490 --> 00:02:41.550 align:middle line:84% to make sure it's very clear to these university presidents, 00:02:41.550 --> 00:02:43.530 align:middle line:84% to these district superintendents, 00:02:43.530 --> 00:02:46.670 align:middle line:84% to the state chiefs, it's non-negotiable. 00:02:46.670 --> 00:02:49.288 align:middle line:84% All students deserve access and an opportunity. 00:02:49.288 --> 00:02:51.080 align:middle line:84% And that includes our transgender students. 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:54.470 align:middle line:84% They should have the same opportunity 00:02:54.470 --> 00:02:57.540 align:middle line:84% to be a part of a team, to learn about themselves. 00:02:57.540 --> 00:03:00.170 align:middle line:84% And while I know it's difficult, and I know that there are 00:03:00.170 --> 00:03:04.100 align:middle line:84% challenges where some students are feeling that their position 00:03:04.100 --> 00:03:09.730 align:middle line:84% is not being respected, I think as we move forward, obviously, 00:03:09.730 --> 00:03:13.850 align:middle line:84% it's premature to talk about what the regulations will say, 00:03:13.850 --> 00:03:16.273 align:middle line:84% nor is it appropriate of me without having 00:03:16.273 --> 00:03:17.690 align:middle line:84% all the information in front of me 00:03:17.690 --> 00:03:19.700 align:middle line:84% to talk specifically about one case. 00:03:19.700 --> 00:03:22.098 align:middle line:84% I will say unequivocally, all students 00:03:22.098 --> 00:03:23.390 align:middle line:90% deserve the same opportunities. 00:03:23.390 --> 00:03:26.540 align:middle line:84% And it's on us to make sure that we're creating environments 00:03:26.540 --> 00:03:30.002 align:middle line:84% where all students feel welcome, accepted, and can participate. 00:03:30.002 --> 00:03:31.460 align:middle line:84% - You mentioned we have work to do. 00:03:31.460 --> 00:03:32.270 align:middle line:90% What is that work? 00:03:32.270 --> 00:03:33.380 align:middle line:90% Where are the shortfalls? 00:03:37.781 --> 00:03:40.312 align:middle line:84% - In some cases, in order for women to be heard, 00:03:40.312 --> 00:03:41.645 align:middle line:90% they have to win a championship. 00:03:41.645 --> 00:03:43.940 align:middle line:84% They have to be at the top of the game for someone 00:03:43.940 --> 00:03:48.540 align:middle line:84% to listen to them, where the men just show up. 00:03:48.540 --> 00:03:49.920 align:middle line:90% That's a problem. 00:03:49.920 --> 00:03:52.980 align:middle line:90% We have to change that. 00:03:52.980 --> 00:03:58.480 align:middle line:84% In order for women athletes to be heard, 00:03:58.480 --> 00:04:02.970 align:middle line:84% they have to do double to get the same attention 00:04:02.970 --> 00:04:06.780 align:middle line:84% that male counterparts get just by showing up. 00:04:06.780 --> 00:04:10.380 align:middle line:84% That's still the culture that we have. 00:04:10.380 --> 00:04:12.990 align:middle line:84% We're not going to litigate our way out of that. 00:04:12.990 --> 00:04:15.690 align:middle line:84% What we're going to do is accept the responsibility 00:04:15.690 --> 00:04:19.019 align:middle line:84% at all levels in education to model 00:04:19.019 --> 00:04:21.149 align:middle line:84% and to create school environments, district 00:04:21.149 --> 00:04:22.800 align:middle line:84% environments, college environments, 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.040 align:middle line:84% where we hit that head on and we say, we've got a problem. 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:28.040 align:middle line:90% We got to fix it.