Threats to Title IX intensify. (Newswatch).

"The Bush administration is conducting a stealth attack on Title IX, and women and girls cannot and must not let them get away with it," warned Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority.

Women's group leaders held a press conference on January 31 to set the record straight about threats to Title IX. They expect the Commission on Opportunity in Athletics to advocate changes to the federal law requiring gender equity in education that would reduce the opportunities for females to participate in sports at all educational levels. The majority of members of the commission are opponents of Title IX. Critics see it as "a sham committee using iffy data and suspect motives" to hold "ridiculous hearings" in order to advocate changes in the law, notes The Wisconsin State Journal on February 4, 2003.

Equitists vowed to wage a national fight to preserve Title IX. On February 5, a group of politicians and actresses joined former Indiana Sen. Birch Bayh, a sponsor of the original law, in defending Title IX.

They included Senate Minority leader Tom Daschie and Sen. Hillary Clinton, actresses Holly Hunter and Geena Davis, and dozens of female athletes. "We will fight this as long and as hard as it takes, and Title IX will be part of America's dream," Sen. Daschie said.

Appointed to review public opinion on the law, the commission held four public hearings and were expected to deliver its recommendations by February 28 to Department of Education secretary Rod Paige, a Bush appointee who opposes affirmative action.

Title IX's current three-part test allows schools to comply by having the proportion of female athletes equal to the number of ...