USA Today: Rescinding of Title IX model survey draws praise from critics

Story here. Excerpt:

'News that the Obama administration Tuesday will rescind a Bush-era Title IX policy known as the model survey is viewed as a step forward by women's interest groups and a step backward by men's interest groups.

"Making Title IX as strong as possible is a no-brainer," Vice President Biden said in a draft of a Department of Education news release announcing the change. "What we're doing here today will better ensure equal opportunity in athletics, and allowing women to realize their potential — so this nation can realize its potential."

Tuesday's action "responds to concerns and widespread objections that the 2005 policy and the prototype survey issued by the Department were inappropriate for assessing compliance with Title IX," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in the draft of the news release.

Some of that objection came from the National Women's Law Center, which long characterized the model survey as a loophole through which schools could evade their obligations under Title IX, the law banning sex discrimination at schools receiving federal funds.

"We have criticized the policy for many years," said Neena Chaudhry, senior counsel for the NWLC. "We welcome the withdrawal of the policy and think it is a step in the right direction."

Eric Pearson, chairman of the College Sports Council, said in a statement: "At a time when the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is calling for reform of Title IX, this is a step backwards for everyone that cares about fairness in athletics."'

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