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mb · Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2003 1:58 pm Post subject: Title IX Petition

Apologies if this has already been posted. Support Title IX by signing this petition sponsored by the WNBA:

http://www.nba.com/wnba/title_IX_petition.jsp

gia · Guest

PR from Mercury Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact
Friday, March 21, 2003
Tami Scott, (602) 514-8354 or
Jo-Marie Garber, (602) 514-8382

SUNS MARK WEST & DAN MAJERLE
JOIN MERCURY COACH JOHN SHUMATE
IN SUPPORT OF TITLE IX
Players, staff, fans sign petition to support legislation

Phoenix, AZ – The WNBA and the Phoenix Mercury are encouraging fans of women’s sports to join the fight to support Title IX. In a petition proposed by WNBA President Val Ackerman, signees will be asking President Bush and Secretary of Education Roderick Paige to enforce the legislation that started it all for girls and women in sports. Title IX is the sexual equality law that was passed in 1972 and in turn, greatly enhanced women’s participation in sports.

Locally, the Mercury have garnered support for the petition from Phoenix Suns Assistant General Manager and former Sun, Mark West as well as former Suns forward, Dan Majerle. The pair of Suns joined Mercury Head Coach John Shumate, Mercury center Adrian Williams, Mercury President Rick Welts and General Manager Seth Sulka in signing the petition.

“The WNBA would not exist were it not for Title IX,” WNBA President Val Ackerman said. “We are gravely concerned that the Department of Education will alter current enforcement policies in ways that will result in even fewer opportunities for girls and women in sports in the future.”

To sign the petition, fans can log onto www.nba.com/wnba/title_IX_petition.jsp. Fans have until May 22, the start of the WNBA season, to sign the petition. NBA Commissioner David Stern was the first signature on the petition.

Media Note: Please be advised that Mercury players and staff are available for interviews in all matters related to Title IX.

The petition follows:
To: President George Bush and Secretary of Education Roderick Paige
We, the undersigned, respectfully request that you act to preserve and more strongly enforce current Title IX athletic policies.
Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, the number of women in college sports has grown dramatically from 32,000 to 163,000 today – a gain of 400%. Girls’ participation in high school sports has increased 847%, from 294,000 to almost 2.8 million.
Even with these advances, discrimination still limits girls’ and women’s opportunities in sports. Although women in Division I colleges represent 53% of the student body, they receive only 41% of opportunities to play sports, 36% of overall athletic operating budgets and 32% of the dollars spent to recruit new athletes. In high schools, the situation is even more concerning, with many schools still failing to administer boys’ and girls’ programs in an equitable manner.
Title IX is a fair and flexible law. Men’s sports opportunities have not suffered as a result of Title IX; in fact, nationwide, men’s participatory opportunities, numbers of teams and sports budgets have all grown since Title IX was enacted.
Despite these facts, the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics’ recent report proposes a number of recommendations that could weaken Title IX and limit girls and women’s future opportunities in sports. In response, Commissioners Julie Foudy and Donna de Varona issued a minority report detailing concerns with the majority report and outlining suggestions for strengthening enforcement of the current law.
Americans overwhelmingly support Title IX. A USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll in January 2003 found that 7 of 10 adults familiar with Title IX think the law should be strengthened or left alone.
We, the undersigned, urge you to preserve Title IX’s mandate of equal opportunity for all by adopting the minority report and by pushing for greater enforcement of current Title IX policies.

For additional information on the Phoenix Mercury, the WNBA or the WNBA’s Title IX petition, please contact Tami Scott, Director of Communications at (602) 514-8354.

-phoenixmercury.com-

mb · Posted: Tue May 06, 2003 11:07 am Post subject:

Storm's Donovan Thankful...great article:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/134689711_blai06.html