Student Exercise Two: Mock Congress
- Identify the historical context in which Congress
enacted Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
Have the class research both gender assumptions and
experience in the United States from the end of WWII
to 1970. Look at primary documents and secondary accounts
in order to create an accurate and inclusive context
for legislation defining and protecting gender equity.
Identify arguments that are both for and against such
legislation. This is challenging research and may
take some time. The following sites provide basic
information and some good references for continued
research. Other sites are also available.
The following are Supreme Court decisions on Title IX:
North Haven Bd. Of Education v. Bell (1982/
employment)
Grove City College v. Bell (1984)
Franklin v Gwinette Public Schools Et Al (1992)
Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education
(2005)
Cohen v. Brown (1995-96)
- Mock Congressional Hearing
- Divide the class into Representatives and those
expected to give testimony and/or answer questions
on gender equity issues.
- Those acting as Representatives need to be prepared
to ask pertinent questions on issues that will facilitate
writing future legislation. These students have
the advantage of the law (Title IX, Educational
Amendments and subsequent legislation) to help them
formulate probing questions.
- Those giving testimony need to be prepared as
experts on gender equity issues -- some should be
prepared to give evidence of the need for legislation
and some should be prepared to identify the problems
that such legislation could create.
Extension Activities:
Mock Supreme Court Hearing (Appeal)
- Create a scenario that includes a violation of
one or more parts of Title IX. The class may wish
to use the facts of an already existing civil suit. Cohen
v. Brown University is an interesting case.
It was denied a hearing before the Supreme Court
but students could proceed as though the Supreme
Court agreed to hear the case. The class could use
the facts of the case. There has been a lot written
about this particular case.
- Assign the following roles to class members: Counsel
(s) for the Plaintiff; Counsel (s) for the Defendant;
Nine Justices
- Counsels on both sides will prepare their briefs
and present their arguments to the Justices
- Justices will be prepared to ask questions spontaneously
during the hearing
- Justices will confer after the hearing and decide
the case.
- The class will write the opinion -- the written
opinion may be a per curium opinion, or may
include a concurring opinion and a dissenting opinion
along with the court opinion. This will generate a
discussion about the effect the Supreme Court on the
law and on the interpretation of the Constitution.
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