A Pennsylvania school district is looking into restructuring how it handles club sports in the wake of a Title IX lawsuit.
As reported by National Public Radio member WPSU, the radio station of Penn State University in State College, a Monday meeting of the State College Area School District board allowed for discussion of a new draft policy that provides a pathway for teams to become club sports. This status would give them access to school resources like facilities and a district employee to oversee the team.
"Our club sports now fall under the athletic department rather than the guidelines directing our extracurricular activities," SCASD interim superintendent Curtis Johnson said, as reported by WPSU's Katie Knol.
Parents filed a Title IX lawsuit against the district after their daughters were excluded from what was billed by the middle school as a co-ed hockey team. The team roster consisted of 19 boys and no girls.
The board is scheduled to vote on the new policy at its Feb. 6 meeting, WPSU reported..
Said school board member Daniel Duffy, "[We are] allowing kids who are vulnerable to feel that they belong, and making policies that accomplish that."
