When Reaching for “Fairness” Achieves the Opposite

We’ll say it once, and we’ll say it again. And again. Booster clubs are the new targets of Title IX regulatory overreach and overzealous, if not downright unfair attempts to equalize and redistribute private, voluntary funds to sports teams.

But, if you don’t believe us, here’s another current example out of Minnesota. The Albert Lea Tribune reported that school and booster club administrators are going to streamline their communications on inventory and funding. While that itself isn’t bad, and is of course expected, the following logic is worrisome. The reporter refers to assistant principal John Double:

“The biggest issue, he said, would be following the rules of Title IX. The 1972 federal law requires the school to provide equal opportunities regardless of gender. If boosters are helping out one team and not another, it becomes the school’s problem, even if it is a donation. Double said with the way things will be run now, the school can help with the fairness before it becomes an issue.”

We can only hope that officials see the impracticality of implementing rules that will inevitably discourage money from trickling in, not to mention damper the involvement and passion shown by parents. Last time we checked, parental support was the holy grail for scholastic and athletic achievement.

Update: Pacific Legal Foundation has also posted on booster clubs affected by Title IX. Check it out here.