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The Montgomery Journal
Getting a Running(?) Start on Title IX
Originally Published in The Montgomery Journal on Thursday, January 08, 1976
By: Cathy Timmerman
Photographer: Linda White and Liz Bouve


Republished with permission granted by The Washington Newspaper Publishing Co. LLC d/b/a MediaDC. Back to Montgomery Journal articles

Getting a Running(?) Start on Title IX

BY CATHY TIMMERMAN

At a suburban Maryland elementary school, parents recently banded together to object to a sexist portrayal of history at a presentation by the students.

A year earlier it probably wouldn't have happened - even though Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was technically law. But Title IX - designed to eliminate sex descrimination in any educational program receiving federal assistance - did not receive a push until President Ford signed into law in July, 1975 regulations to implement it in public school systems.

What has been done since then to put into effect the rules that will eliminate sex descrimination from athletics, counseling and curriculum in the area's public schools? To get an idea, The Journal looked at one public school system - Montgomery County's.

PETER TREIBLEY, the man designated by the county to enforce the anti-sexist regulation in the schools, commented on the county's progress. "So far, we have provided notification to agencies, employees and students that the county is working in compliance with Title IX," said Treibley.

"And in accordance with the regulations, we are setting up a task force to evaluate the school system," he added.

Plans call for a 16-member task force that will include community representatives, students and professionals such as teachers administrators and aides. "The task force will decide what processes to use in evaluating the educational programs and activities," he said.

However, when interviewing Treibley and other county residents involved in the Title IX issue, the Journal found numerous criticisms as well as problems impeding the county's progress.

SOME OF THOSE problems included:

  • insufficient staffing;
  • generalities in the federal regulations which need to be clarified;
  • the appointment of a new superintendent;
  • lack of funds.

    Treibley, who is also human relations specialist for the county, said he cannot give full attention to Title IX because of other administrative responsibilities. "Unfortunately, I am a one-man department with many duties including equal employment." Treibley added that he will not be receiving additional staffing to help out with Title IX due to the present economic situation.

    TWO TITLE IX advocates, Geni Dunnels, a member of the Montgomery County League of Women Voters, and Judith Vandergriff, a member of the county Commission for Women, both criticized county actions so far and objected to the insufficient staffing.

    Ms. Vandegriff, who has volunteered to be on the evaluation task force, said the county has "brushed the regulations under the rug compared to other counties in the area.

    "For example, Fairfax County designated a person whose only duty is to carry out Titel IX directives," she said. "But the Montgomery County designee (Treibley) has at least a dozen other functions on top of his Title IX responsibilities."

    Ms. Dunnels agreed that because "Treibley wears many hats, he can not possibly cope with the gross inequities that exist in the county school system. The inequities in athletics are the most apparent," she said, "but I've heard some horror stories in career guidance where the girls are guided toward lesser professions. Many people who are counselors now grew up in the last generation and they still can't see girls as dentists or riveters. How can Treibley be expected to cope with all the inequities singlehandedly?" she asked.

    Besides staffing problems, Treibley said additional controversy is bound to arise because the ferderal regulations are vague. "For example, the regulations state athletic teams and gym classes should be coeducational in the non-contact sports. But they don't define a contact sports. They list some, like basketball, but I would not consider basketball a contact sport."

    Ms. Vandegriff agreed saying that a court decision will be necessary in order to define contact sports. "The state definition of a contact sport is in conflict with the Title IX definition," she said. "Girls are being exempted from contact sports they could be playing."

    "Another vague area is counseling," said Treibley. "Although the regulations specify that students should be counseled in a non-sexist manner, what exactly does that mean?"

    "WE ALSO HAVE a problem because there are not many nonsexist materials on the market in vocational and career education," he said. "Vocational materials still have the stereotype sex roles of women in the clerical position or as a nurse while the man is pictured as the doctor. This makes it so the county almost has to create its own vocational materials until less stereotyped pictures are available."

    Ms. Vandergriff sees an additional problem. "The appointment of a new school superintendent has slowed down the implementation of Title IX." She said that while the women's commission is evaluating the schools on its own as a sort of impetus for the county, the superintendent is not doing anything special to facilitate county action."

    "There is a lack of interest by Superintendent (Charles) Bernardo. He has done nothing so far. The schools are virtually autonomous and unless they receive a specific directive from the superintendent making them responsible for Title IX, nothing will be done."

    AND FINALLY, Treibley said the county has not budgeted any funds specifically for the implementation of Title IX. He added that Title IX "can't be considered a financial issue. This will not call for large expenditures of money," he said, "except for the possible additional athletic facilities for girls."

    For instance, school officials may face this situation: If a school has 10 showers for boys, it must have 10 showers for girls. If it has two team rooms for boys, it must have two for girls.

    There is a long range financial concern, however, if the county does not meet the July 21, 1976 deadline for completing the self-evaluation, the result could mean total withdrawal of federal assistance for Montgomery County schools. According to the county budget office, this could mean a loss of $11 million.

    Despite these problems, Treibley said the county has done some things to implement the spirit of Title IX. "We have made many of our physical educational classes coeducational," he said. "We offer in-service courses for teachers on sexual stereotyping and we have sponsored a half-day human relations workshop for more than three years. We also asked that at least one faculty meeting in each school this year be dedicated to sex role stereotypes."

    "We have also come a long way eliminating certain courses that were previously for boys or girls only," he added. "We encourage the students to take any course from home economics to industrial arts which are now open to all students."

    Photo Caption: Fair Shake. Gale Morse (above) of B-CC High School in Bethesda and Debbie Hall (right) of Friendly High School in Oxon Hill are among the excellent women runners coming out of the area's public schools. Insuring that Gale and Debbie and young women like them get equal treatment in their pursuit of athletic excellence is one goal of the Title IX legislation. Also included under the law are all other activities and program in the public schools which receive federal funding. Journal Photo by Linda White.

    Photo Caption: MARTHA CODER of Peary High School in Rockville is shown competing in a shot-put meet. Her face registers the effort an athlete - male or female - gives to his or her sport. Title IX specifies equality of effort and opportunity. Journal Photo by Liz Bouve.

    Photo Caption: ANAYEUS ROBINSON of Springbrook clears the high jump bar. Many problems must be solved before female athletes get equal treatment in the Montgomery County public school system.




  • Timmerman, Cathy. "Getting a Running(?) Start on Title IX." Montgomery Journal, 8 Jan. 1976, p. B1+.
    Transcribed by: Kevin Milsted 02/01/2020


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