Title IX- Is it the newest outdated law?

As touched upon in a previous post, most institutions are shunning the idea of providing proper care for cheerleaders. They are also stubbornly denying cheerleading as a sport, using Title IX as their buffer. Title IX of 1972, is a questionably “outlived” law that demands universities to provide equal athletic participation opportunities for men and women (Stacy). Specifically its requirements include the following:

- Schools must provide a proportionally equal amount of male and female athletic opportunities. 
- Schools must show they are continually committed to creating more athletic opportunities for women. 
- Schools must provide proportionally equal athletic scholarship opportunities for male and female students.  
-  Schools must provide men and women equal access to equipment, game times, coaching and practice facilities, among others. (Seely)  

            True Story: In March of 2009, Quinnipiac University made the attempt to qualify competitive cheerleading as a sport at their school. After the attempt, a federal appeal made in court prevented schools from allowing cheerleading to count as a sport. The appeals court stated, "An activity can be considered a sport under Title IX if it has coaches, practices, competitions during a defined season and a governing organization. The activity also must have competition as its primary goal -- not merely the support of other athletic teams". Since this disappointment  Quinnipiac renamed its cheerleading team as Acrobatics and Tumbling and joined the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association to help push for an "sports" title. The name change was also made to differentiate itself from sideline cheerleading (Press).
          A news program broadcasting to Southern New England WTNH brings up the upsetting point that Title IX may not have bad intentions directing its discrimination towards cheerleading, but rather focuses its concerns on money (Judge). 

(Judge)

Tid Bit:  Not only is Title IX putting a burden on cheerleading, but on male sports as well. As cheerleading is being denied from college athletics, male athletes are being turned away as well. Since Title IX demands that universities give equal opportunity in sports, it is common to find male low  profile sports being cut. 

(Nelson)

Tid Bit: Being a UMass Cheerleader comes with unimaginable opportunities such as cheering at Gillette Stadium and the TD Garden. For this, I am grateful. One part of the team that is missing is the chance to be on scholarship through cheerleading. Since cheerleading is not a sport, there is no scholarship money to give out for being on the team. If Title IX were to change its regulations, I would expect more cheerleaders would become interested in the school, in hopes to come on scholarships, therefore improving the program.