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First Schools
Dame schools were created in colonial territories and allowed education for girls and boys. These schools were housed in homes of women and taught by well educated women in the community.
(Conway, 1974) -
Public Schools
Children over the age of seven were allowed to go to public school. These schools consisted of children from well off families and were most times sex-segregated. Girls would sometimes have to attend school when boys were not in session during the summer, weekends, and holidays.
(Madigan, 2009) -
Women in College
Women make their presence known in colleges and institutions. During this time, women were unwelcome and often shown hostility from their male classmates. Some institutions went so far as to argue against enrolling women into college. Some colleges even employed women students to wash male students linen and clothes and prepare meals.
(Cohen and Kisker, 2010; Conway, 1974) -
Seneca Falls
In the Declaration of Sentiments, women expressed their concern for the lack of educational opportunities for women and demanded equal education rights.
(Dentith, 2016) -
Career and Educational Limitations
The Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education advocated for a two track system; college preparatory or vocational training. This system promoted mostly male students to take the college route, and female students the vocational track. Female students were required to take domestic science or home economics and were limited to four job categories; secretarial, nursing, teaching, or motherhood.
(Madigan, 2009) -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act was created to end discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, or national origin in employment and other public facilities. This law did not address educational discrimination on the basis of sex, thus prompting the creation of Title IX.
Section 703(a)(1), Civil Rights Act of 1964, Pub. L. No. 88-352, 78 Stat. 241, 255 (July 2, 1964). -
Title IX
Title IX was presented as a part of The Educational Amendments of 1972. Title IX is the most popular because it prohibits sexual discrimination on any federally funded program or activity, which includes public schools.
(The United States Department of Justice) -
Title IX Implications
After Title IX, more women are able to receive scholarships to further their education. In 2003, "there was more than $1 million in scholarships for women at Division I schools" (Chadband, 2012). It is most recognized for its assistance in women's sports, but it has also helped with sexual discrimination, and educational equality. -
Title IX and the Future
Today, many people discuss Title IX and its relevance to protection of transgender students. The U.S. Department of Education began to extend the sex based discrimination to include gender identity, but the Trump administration rescinded those sentiments. Luckily, many institutions have continued to protect transgender students in their policies and practices, but further protections will have to derive from state and local laws.
(FindLaw)
