My kids say that I manage to bring all political and governmental issue discussions back to educational policy (or lack thereof).  Well….yeah, I suppose I do.  Interesting how that works.  Since I also have a particular bias towards homeschooling and find that others in power have biases against our home education choice, some observations of that devilish power are reflected again below.  That devilish power has been succinctly described in this manner: Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.

The Illinois Review posted a Schafly article concerning the implementation and results of Title 9.  Here’s the gist of the federal Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, also known as Title IX:

 "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance…"

I don’t necessarily agree with Phyllis Schafly’s premise that there is or was an anti-male agenda by the proponents that pushed this legislation back in the ’70s.  I have observed some "feminists" seem to have a male hate issue going on, but not all. I think there are some people who are just plain hateful or otherwise messed up, and find a cause that suits.  I do agree with Schafly’s point about the illogic of pre-school promotion to rid our country of the fat on our children’s bones. More little ones’ institutionalization and garbage food will not help.  I think our First Lady veered off the track with this Copenhagen race for Chicago Olympics piece:

We need all of our children to be exposed to the Olympic ideals that athletes from around the world represent, particularly this time in our nation’s history, where athletics is becoming more of a fleeting opportunity. Funds dry up so it becomes harder for kids to engage in sports, to learn how to swim, to even ride a bike. When we’re seeing rates of childhood obesity increase, it is so important for us to raise up the platform of fitness and competition and fair play; to teach kids to cheer on the victors and empathize with those in defeat, but most importantly, to recognize that all the hard work that is required to do something special.

What does all that really mean?  More money for ‘dried up funds’.  Other than that, it’s just more empty calorie words about cheering and empathizing, while US childhood obesity rates increase. This 2007 article below seems to parallel those empty words above. 

Obesity Rate Has Tripled for Ages 6-17 in Past 30 Years

Physical Problems

• Finding clothes that fit properly for school is a challenge. Students often come to school with adult clothes cut down to size. Clothes with Sponge Bob and other characters don’t come in larger sizes.
• Recess and P.E. classes are more challenging because of the running required and other physical activities.
• Desks are often too small or tight. Needing a larger desk is embarrassing to the student and causes attention to the child by being different.
• Lowered life expectancy, heart disease, more prone to diabetes, and other health issues.

One (or two) good things about homeschooling is that we don’t have to search for adult sized Sponge Bob clothes to fit into the school norms of acceptable clothing?  Thank goodness, since I’m partial to nuclear plant safety inspector, doughnut eating Homer Simpson myself. 

I put this below in the noted IR post comments relating to my own experience and observations.  (Forgive my cut and paste from some of my Illiberal Education-Give Me the Old Timey Education post.)

Title 9 didn’t do girls any big favors either. So it goes when the government nannies over-legislate, as Dems and Repubs practice 95% of the time. 
I started my freshman high school year with Title 9 enactment. Previously, we were part of a fantastic girls sports program - the private Girls Athletic Association (GAA). 
In our central Illinois farmtown, we girls had field hockey, golf, tennis, badminton, volleyball, basketball, track..probably forgetting something. We did have to fight continuously for the field hockey field, as it was designated the football practice field by the football coach. He didn’t want his territory infringed on by a bunch of girls. But we wielded the sticks (literally) and had a harder play ball than those boys. Our sticks and practice shots aimed……won out.

Title 9’s narrowing agenda lost the variety of sports offered through GAA and our extra-curricular sports activities were filtered through the government school. We lost control of the variety and power of independence. 
I’ve seen this happen again and again when people/special interests and legislators push to have programs inserted into the public schools rather than maintaining the extensive community support and effective innovativeness and most importantly- satisfaction without the bureaucracy.

The community that used to abound in a remarkable variety of girls’ athletics now gives the girls volleyball, golf, basketball, softball and track offered in the lllinois High School Association stranglehold. Boys have soccer (which is ‘co-ed’ in the high school), golf, basketball, baseball and track. 
The soccer program up through 8th grade is a community program separate from the schools (and governmental interventions). It’s a thriving program where our family had the opportunity to coach here and there as our kids grew up. We’re not interested in attending public school so that our kids can play soccer. So we’re done with organized sports until the kids get into college intra-murals. At their pleasure.

Another commenter talked about missed scholarship opportunities when she was in college.  I tried to make the point that if the private entity called the Girls Athletic Association had been able to persist, there were more varied opportunities for physical health in and out of schools.  Even in our rural areas that powerful fixer-uppers want to invade to keep us from being bitter and clinging to our guns (deadly BB gun we have here), our religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like us.  Yep, that’s us Illinois farm folks to a T.  That description would suit if you want to be fixing us up. It also shows that you’re not familiar with our lifestyle or close-knit communities or abilities to fix our own problems.  I think there’s a few more areas than rural communities that can and will do that.

Until the government steps in and narrow our choices.                                      Barnyard serving as a suitable soccer field when necessary.