JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (CN) - Parents say the Florida High School Athletic Association's recent cuts to school sports competitions discriminate against girls. The rule change reduced varsity games by 20 percent and subvarsity games by 40 percent - except for football and cheerleading - which "exempts nearly 32,000 more boys than girls," according to the federal complaint.
The Association exempted only football and cheerleading from the reduced schedules, but the parents point out that cheerleading is not a regularly scheduled competitive sport.
The plaintiffs' attorney Nancy Hogshead-Makar said the program cuts violate Title IX.
"There's no exception under the law for revenue-producing sports," Hogshead-Makar said.
Competitive cheerleading is not technically a sport for the purposes of Title IX, but even if it were, the new policy "exempts nearly 32,000 more boys than girls from its new competition reductions," according to the complaint.
Hogshead-Makar represents six parents of female high school students in five Florida schools in the federal complaint. She requests an expedited hearing on a request for an injunction.
Subscribe to Closing Arguments
Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.
Additional Reads
-
-
Contributor-Test-Post-2024-04-12 April 12, 2024
