Thursday, January 26, 2012

Possible progress in Castle Rock complaint

This past week's meeting which would have addressed the Title IX complaint against the Castle Rock school district (Washington) was postponed until next month. But administrators say they are taking steps to remedy some of the inequities upon which the complaint is based.
As we noted in November, parents complained that the girls' soccer team often had games cut short because of darkness even though the football stadium, which has lights, was not being used. Requests to use the stadium were denied for various reasons that will not likely trump Title IX's equal treatment standards.
Superintendent Susan Barker has said that the athletic director is being trained in how to assess gender equity in athletics programs (apparently it is not a job requirement to be aware of how to follow the law). Also there may  be an athletic advisory committee established, which would pass along recommendations to the school board. One of the things the hypothetical committee might recommend is that girls' soccer be allowed to use to the football stadium.
So it seems that more needs to be done in Castle Rock.
In the meanwhile, the girls' JV soccer coach has submitted a letter of resignation. (Her team often gets the brunt of the discriminatory treatment.)
Also, the stadium is not the only issue parents have. They would like addressed the issue of paying for uniforms, driving their children to games, the level of parent representation on any advisory board.

Parents will be speaking at the hearing schedule for late February.