Note: The following is the Wicker Report, a weekly column written by U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and provided by the Senator’s office. Any opinions expressed here are that of the author and not necessarily that of this publication.
By U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.)
Title IX Guidance Threatens Equality in the Classroom and on the Court
Most Mississippi students have returned to the classroom for the upcoming school year. This summer, I have had the chance to speak with a number of them as I traveled the state, welcomed constituents to Washington, D.C., and hosted interns in my office. I was encouraged by the conversations. It is clear that the parents, teachers, and mentors of these students have been preparing them for lives of faithful citizenship.
Mississippi Students Enroll at Service Academies
That sense of civic duty has been on full display from a group of students who have merited a special mention. I have the honor annually of nominating the best and brightest young Mississippians for attendance at U.S. service academies. This year, I recommended over a dozen outstanding high schoolers from cities and towns across our state, and they are now beginning studies at selective schools run by our military leaders. These individuals earned nominations by positively impacting their neighbors and communities. I am proud that they are the future of our country’s armed forces.
Summer may still be winding down, but many fall sports are already well underway. Student-athletes will spend long hours in practice and in competition with their peers – building discipline, supporting teammates, and honing skills. Unfortunately, these familiar spaces are becoming less welcoming, particularly when it comes to women’s sports.
The Biden administration is trying to change the implementation of Title IX, the law that protects against gender discrimination in federally-supported education. This statute has paved the way for widespread, school-sponsored women’s athletics. But the president’s decision would hurt the very programs and female athletes that Title IX was designed to protect.
Under the new Biden rule, schools would be required to allow students who merely “identify” as female to play in women’s sports – unless the school can prove physical harm would come to fellow teammates.
Supreme Court Imposes Temporary Block on Biden Guidelines
This year, 26 states – including Mississippi – are suing the Biden administration over these new regulations. At this point, the Supreme Court has ruled on a temporary basis that these rules cannot go into effect.
This is welcome news.
As the appeal process continues, Republicans in the U.S. Congress are stepping up to block the Biden administration’s change. I have cosponsored legislation, called the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, to preserve the safeguards that have allowed female athletics to thrive. I have also cosponsored a congressional effort that would prevent the president’s proposed Title IX changes from going into effect. Finally, I have joined many of my colleagues in a message to the National Association of College Athletics, urging them to adopt standards that safeguard women’s sports programs.
The fight is not over yet, and I will keep using my voice to protect future opportunities for female athletes.
Fair Play Benefits Female Athletes
Women deserve to compete on a level playing field – a fact that was reinforced this summer at the Olympics. The female athletes representing the U.S. won 26 of our country’s 40 gold medals, proving that fair play allowed them to excel at the highest levels. If they were their own nation, U.S. women would have earned enough gold medals to place third, behind the entire American and Chinese teams.
It is that sense of accomplishment and patriotism that I hope to foster in the rising generation. I will continue advocating for these students – and the classes and competitions that bring out the best in them.
