Title IX, the law that requires equal opportunities for female and male athletes in college and universities that receive federal funding, has repeatedly made appearances in the news with cases across the country that challenge its implementation. This week, title IX is back in the news with a case at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania.

A veteran volleyball coach and an assistant to the athletic director, both veterans and both women, have filed suit claiming their positions were jeopardized and they became victims of retaliation after speaking out against an athletic director, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
This latest turn of events has escalated from terse relations between the parties and stem from a law suit in 2006 against Slippery Rock University for violating provisions of Title IX.

Slippery Rock University isn’t the only case of potential Title IX violation. The Seattle Times reports that federal officials are investigating complaints involving 125 school districts that may not be in compliance. The complaints involve sexual discrimination and inequality in sports from facilities to opportunities. According to an anonymous email sent to news organizations and reported by the Seattle Times, the suit seeks billions of dollars in damages from the state.

So what exactly is Title IX?

Introduced as an Education Amendment in 1972, Title IX broadly states that 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.

The provisions of Title IX have most often been tested in athletic departments across college and university campuses. This week, there is added momentum due to cases that once again test compliance.