Office for Civil Rights and Minneapolis Public Schools reach resolution agreement to address disparities in District’s girls’ athletic programs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2024
CONTACT
Gabbi Pierce, Communications Manager
[email protected]
651.789.2090
Gender Justice filed a Title IX complaint in 2022 alleging sex discrimination against female student athletes on behalf of high school sports coach client
Minneapolis Public Schools and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) have reached a resolution agreement following an investigation into the District’s female athletics programs. The investigation stemmed from a Title IX complaint filed by Gender Justice in January 2022, alleging sex discrimination. The agreement requires increased and adequate investment in athletics programs for female students District-wide and proper compliance with Title IX requirements in each high school’s athletics programs.
“We recently celebrated 50 years of Title IX and equity for women and girls in sports, but as with all laws, it’s only as good as its enforcement,” said Sara Jane Baldwin, senior staff attorney at Gender Justice. “It’s stunning that one complaint about a lack of support for one high school girls athletic program uncovered such an extensive pattern of disparities and failures by Minneapolis Public Schools. We are grateful that this concern was brought to our attention, and we applaud the Office of Civil Rights for their diligence in investigating this complaint.”
The OCR investigation revealed numerous disparities in athletics programs for female students. The District was found to have failed to provide equal athletic opportunities, particularly in areas such as athletic and competitive facilities and locker rooms, equipment and supplies, and accommodation of the interests and abilities of female student athletes.
Under the agreement, Minneapolis Public Schools will develop District-wide policies and procedures to ensure compliance with Title IX. These policies will address requirements of interscholastic athletics programs in areas including equipment and supplies, scheduling of games and practice times, travel and per diem expenses, locker rooms and athletic facilities, publicity, and opportunity to receive and the assignment of coaching and academic tutoring. The District will also review its athletic funding allocation procedures to prevent disparities from arising due to funding sources. Additionally, the District will establish a forum for stakeholder input and ensure grievance procedures for complaints regarding Title IX are publicized on its website.
“I’m very happy with the results of this investigation. As a coach, I strongly believe that girls deserve equal access to all the incredible benefits that youth sports can provide, regardless of the zip code they live in,” said Gender Justice’s client, a high school sports coach who reached out to Gender Justice about gender-based disparities in sports at a Minneapolis school and who wishes to remain anonymous. “The interest from students is there. The adults in positions of power need to catch up, do their jobs, and give them the tools to go as far as their ambition will take them. I hope the seeds can now be planted to allow the girls in north Minneapolis to compete with, and surpass, the teams in any parts of the city, and beyond in Minnesota.”
Read the OCR press release and full investigation letter here.