Education Department's Promotion of Same-Sex Schooling Challenged by NOW

March 4, 2004

The National Organization for Women is appalled by the Department of Education's attempt to allow sex segregation in our nation's public schools.

"This attempt by Secretary of Education Rod Paige is yet another example of the administration's eagerness to limit women's rights," said NOW President Kim Gandy. "Any rule providing for the establishment of sex-segregated public schools or classes would expressly discriminate on the basis of sex."

The Department of Education is proposing new Title IX requirements that would make it easier for schools to offer—and for parents to choose—sex-segregated classes and schools for students.

"This proposal takes steps that will reintroduce segregation into the public education system—this time in the form of segregation by sex, instead of race," said Gandy. "NOW is strongly opposed to the regulations announced yesterday by Secretary Paige. We are taking immediate action to ensure that Title IX is used to fight discrimination, not to entrench it."

The Department's proposal to amend the regulations implementing Title IX to facilitate the establishment of sex-segregated programs in primary and secondary schools is flawed on both legal and policy grounds. "NOW will not accept any regulatory programs that threaten to deprive women of equal protection of the laws," said Gandy. "If the Department of Education is trying to improve schools, they need to do so with non-discriminatory measures."

NOW activists across the country helped pass Title IX in 1972. Since then, NOW remains vigilant in pursuing the protections promised by Title IX. With educational equality sill not a reality in our country, Title IX needs to be better enforced, not gutted.

"Sex discrimination in the classroom or the workplace is shameful," said Gandy. "Segregation was wrong in the past—and it's wrong now."

###

Sign up to receive press releases by email.