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Washington, D.C.--U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) delivered the following remarks on the House floor to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Title IX.
"June 23, 2007 marked a significant event in American history; the 35th Anniversary of the passage of Title IX of the Higher Education Act. In celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Title IX law, I am pleased to honor the principle of equal opportunity before the law and applaud the amazing contributions made by women.
Title IX's impact on college sports has been well documented. However, its influence on women extends well beyond the playing field and into the classroom. When the law was passed in 1972, 46 percent of female high school students enrolled in college immediately after graduating. In 2005, that figure had risen to 70 percent and the share of bachelor's degrees earned by women had increased from 44 to 57 percent.
Title IX has also affected my life in a very personal way. I have seen how Title IX has changed the experiences of the women in my own family. When I was in school, there was no Title IX and opportunities were limited. When my daughter, Mary, was in school, Title IX was in its infancy, but it opened the door to her and her classmates to a number of options in not only sports, but careers as well. I am so excited that now that my granddaughters, Isabel, Lucy, and Eve are growing up in a time when a whole new world is available to them.
As a member of Congress I am dedicated to ensuring that Title IX remains in tact. We have made great progress as a nation in the last 35 years; however, we must make certain that Title IX remains a bedrock principle in America. The progress we have seen in the country is just the beginning."
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