Is it a requirement that varsity baseball and softball be equally funded?

[UB40]

Are two *public high school teams supposed to have the same equipment for training, comparable fields, even the same number of uniforms.

One thing DD is talking about is her team has one uniform, the baseball team has multiple uniforms.

*edit-left out that this is a public high school. I shouldn't post questions late at night.

 

[Eric F]

Are the two teams supposed to have the same equipment for training, comparable fields, even the same number of uniforms.

One thing DD is talking about is her team has one uniform, the baseball team has multiple uniforms.

Your DD got a uniform? My DD got a jersey.

Baseball team seems to have the gear they need. I bought 2 dozen balls and a hitting net for the softball team because the ones they had last year seemed to have disappeared magically disappeared.

 

[bmakj]

the answer is . . . it depends. TITLE IX says equal opportunities.

a lot of time an independent booster organization will buy equipment/unis/etc., and I do not think this kind of spending (ie independent third party) gets factored in to any type of Title IX dispute.

now fields/facilities, may be a valid argument, but they do not have to be precisely equal (ie if baseball draws a lot more than softball, school can be justified in having a field with more seating, etc.). but they should have equal access to batting cages, actual playing surfaces should be comparable, etc. if boys have JV, they must allow a JV for girls (now if there are not enough girls going out, different story)

but honestly, in today's day and age, the letter of the law and the legalities are factoring in less and less. if you feel you have a legitimate gripe:

1-in writing, lay out the "complaint" to AD, school board, superintendent, etc (do not pick one, send it to all, making certain they all see all the rest in copy, if you want to be really nefarious, include in the email of a friendly lawyer or two, don't actually have to be working on it, just copying in email address of law firm/attorney can scare the bejesus out of some, just warn them ahead of time). request written/electronic responses, take detailed notes of any phone conversations with any school officials on the subject, save any emails.
2-if no response whatsoever (and give a resonable time, say 60 days, and push for responses every 20 days or so), jump to 5
3-if they give patronizing responses, push for concrete plans with deadlines, if they continue to give lip service / bs responses, jump to 5
4-if they have given concrete plants, but are taking no steps to meet them, go to step 5 (this you may have to allow some significant time for, as new or upgraded facilities do not happen overnight)
5-go to local media/news outlets/social media, lay out in detail all the steps you have taken

this really can be a blue print for any type of grass roots campaign. make certain you are perfectly reasonable in your approach, and allow decent time for response and actions, but once it becomes clear that whomever really has no intention of actually making any changes, take it to the media, traditional and social. public pressure, especially on elected officials, can produce a lot more than legal challenges in a lot of cases, and much quicker.

 

[sluggers]

a lot of time an independent booster organization will buy equipment/unis/etc., and I do not think this kind of spending (ie independent third party) gets factored in to any type of Title IX dispute.

The funding source doesn't matter. In Title IX, the issue is whether the facilities are comparable, not who paid for them.

At my alma mater, Dave Stieb, SIU alum and former pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, built a great facility for the men's baseball field. SIU was later forced to build a comparable facility with their own money.

Now, if you are a big $$$ donor, the schools encourage spending for multi-purpose athletic training facilities rather than facilities for a specific team or sport.

 

[bmakj]

The funding source doesn't matter. In Title IX, the issue is whether the facilities are comparable, not who paid for them.

At my alma mater, Dave Stieb, SIU alum and former pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, built a great facility for the men's baseball field. SIU was later forced to build a comparable facility with their own money.

Now, if you are a big $$$ donor, the schools encourage spending for multi-purpose athletic training facilities rather than facilities for a specific team or sport.

that part was mainly directed at unis, etc. yes facilities, which are going to be owned and operated by the school, must be comparable. but I do not think Title IX can make a booster club (ie "indepedent" organization) buy fancy unis for boys and girls, same could be said for end of season banquet, etc.. but again, public pressure might only neanderthals would want to be seen as discriminating against a bunch of sweet innocent HS girls D)

 

[MNDad]

There’s no requirement for baseball and softball to be equally or even similarly funded. Programs are looked at as a whole. Baseball can have better facilities as long as volleyball or some other girls sport has comparable facilities.

If the disparities between baseball and softball are great you can file a complaint with the Dept of Education Office of Civil Rights. Its free and can be done online. Your school will have a Title IX Officer. Start with them and if they won’t address your concerns hop online and submit a complaint. Document everything and take lots of pictures highlighting disparities. The process takes years to complete so you’ll need patience.

Best of luck.

 

[MNDad]

that part was mainly directed at unis, etc. yes facilities, which are going to be owned and operated by the school, must be comparable. but I do not think Title IX can make a booster club (ie "indepedent" organization) buy fancy unis for boys and girls, same could be said for end of season banquet, etc.. but again, public pressure might only neanderthals would want to be seen as discriminating against a bunch of sweet innocent HS girls D)

The boys booster clubs aren’t required to buy things for the girls. However if the school district allows booster clubs to buy things for the boys resulting in disparities for the girls, the school district is required to make up the shortfalls.

 

[bmakj]

The process takes years to complete so you’ll need patience.

which is why I suggest media/social media approach. NCAA Womens basketball created an uproar, and you can guarantee changes will be made in future. faster results, less expensive too

 

[marriard]

that part was mainly directed at unis, etc. yes facilities, which are going to be owned and operated by the school, must be comparable. but I do not think Title IX can make a booster club (ie "indepedent" organization) buy fancy unis for boys and girls, same could be said for end of season banquet, etc.. but again, public pressure might only neanderthals would want to be seen as discriminating against a bunch of sweet innocent HS girls D)

TITLE IX absolutely includes 'booster club' contributions in the equation when it comes to their assessments.

"Comparable not the same" is the base of all TITLE IX.

 

[MNDad]

Your DD got a uniform? My DD got a jersey.

Baseball team seems to have the gear they need. I bought 2 dozen balls and a hitting net for the softball team because the ones they had last year seemed to have disappeared magically disappeared.

DD got a worn out boys baseball uniform her first year on the HS team. That was one of the items in my complaint. It took several years to go through, but eventually the girls got a new varsity field, a JV field and new softball uniforms. No more hand me downs from the boys.