Dr. Bernice Sandler, known as the “godmother of Title IX” for her work advocating for women’s and girls rights in education and athletics, has passed away at the age of 90. The Washington Post published her obituary Monday.
The landmark federal civil rights law, which was passed in 1972, ensures male and female students have equal access to admissions, resources and financial assistance in education and athletics.
Sandler first embarked on a decades-long campaign against sex discrimination in academia in 1969. The law eventually transformed women’s access to high school and college athletics because schools accepting federal funding were now required to give equal opportunity and standing to both sexes.
Prior to the passage, only one in 27 high school girls — less than four percent — played sports, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation. Now, it’s about two in every five. The foundation cites a 990 percent growth in girls high school athletics.
