A Women’s Equality Day Celebration took place at the Beitzel Career Technology Training Center in Accident on Monday evening. Pictured, left to right, are Dove Center Executive Director Heather Hanlin, AAUW Senior Director of Policy and Member Advocacy Meghan Kissell, Garrett County Public Schools Human Resources Director Dr. Jane Wildesen, Garrett College Director of Compliance Shelley Menear, and AAUW-Garrett Branch President Judy Carbone.
“The promise of Title IX is so basic,” Meghan Kissell told Women’s Equality Day Celebration attendees last Monday night. “Everybody should be afforded the same opportunity to thrive when they receive their education.”
While many people most closely associate Title IX with athletics, Kissell told attendees at Garrett College’s Beitzel Career Technology Training Center that “Title IX was not originally about sports.”
“It was about ensuring women had the same educational opportunities as their male counterparts,” said Kissell, the senior director of policy and member advocacy with the American Association of University Women (AAUW). The 1972 Title IX legislation prohibited sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that received federal funding.
Kissell noted Title IX’s mission has been expanded over the years to ensure civil rights related to gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnant and parenting students.
The Women’s Equality Day Celebration was sponsored by the AAUW-Garrett Branch, the Garrett County Commission for Women, the Dove Center, the GFWC Civic Club of Oakland, the Garrett County Democratic Women, and the Youghiogheny Glades Chapter NSDAR. The event also featured a Title IX panel discussion with Dove Center Executive Director Heather Hanlin, Garrett County Public Schools Director of Human Resources Dr. Jane Wildesen, and Garrett College Director of Institutional Compliance Shelley Menear.
Menear noted that Garrett College has a comprehensive Title IX training and educational outreach program.
“All incoming students and all employees receive training in addition to refresher courses,” said Menear. “One of our greatest opportunities is the presence of our Dove Center outreach specialist, who is on campus weekly.”
Wildesen said comprehensive training is also a key component of Garrett County Public Schools’ Title IX program.
“We have training for coordinators, investigators, and decision-makers,” Wildesen said. “Another key component is publicizing our Title IX policies and procedures so that employees, students, and parents are all aware they exist and how to employ them.”
Hanlin, who served as panel moderator, asked both Menear and Wildesen about some of their respective institutions’ most impressive Title IX achievements. Menear said Garrett College’s focus on expanding women’s intercollegiate sports and drastically increasing resources allocated to women’s teams has been a significant achievement.
“We built a multi-purpose turf field that provided equal facilities for baseball and softball. We also added women’s soccer and increased the resources allocated to our women’s teams,” said Menear, noting four of the College’s seven intercollegiate sports are now women’s teams.
“We’ve put a lot of promising practices in place, as well as support mechanisms,” added Menear. “We’ve developed a Serenity Suite that serves as a lactation space, a religious observance area, and a quiet, safe space. We’ve also developed a safe space program on campus. We encourage community involvement in many of our activities, including the ‘Consent Revolution’ we hold annually around Sexual Assault Awareness Month.”
Wildesen noted that both GCPS high school computer science faculty members were recently recognized for the high percentage of female high school students in computer science Advanced Placement courses. She also highlighted GCPS’s emphasis on “equitable participation in athletics,” including ensuring boys and girls “have the same number of competition opportunities.”
“We’ve made a conscious effort to make sure we reduce barriers and make educational equitable for all,” added Wildesen.
Hanlin also asked about the biggest challenges related to Title IX administration.
“Constant regulatory changes are always going to be problematic,” said Menear. “Another challenge is when the Department of Education makes additional requirements with no funding behind it.”
