1
Equal Protection and Gender Classification in Sports Programs
Grand Canyon University
POS-500: U.S. and Arizona Constitutions for Teacher Candidates
2
EQUAL PROTECTION AND GENDER CLASSIFICATION
When taking into consideration student classifications in sports based
on gender, one can look at Missouri as an example as to how things are
handled in a fair and equitable manner. As per the 2024-25 MSHSAA
Official Handbook, students are classified in the following ways.
a. Girls may not participate on a boys interscholastic
athletic team in a sport if the school sponsors a girls team
in that sport.
b. Girls may participate on a boys interscholastic athletic team
in a non-contact sport if the school does not sponsor a girls
interscholastic athletic team in that sport. It shall be the
responsibility of the local board of education to determine
, whether to allow girls to participate on boys teams in sports
defined as contact sports in the Federal Title IX Regulations.
c. Boys may not participate on a girls interscholastic athletic
team if the school’s over-all boys athletic program equals or
exceeds the over-all girls athletic program. If the boys over-
all athletic program is not comparable in scope to the girls
over- all athletic program, the principal may request an
evaluation of his/her athletic program in order to assure
equitable
athletic programs for both boys and girls. (MSHSAA, n.d.)
To summarize this, girls can participate in boys’ sports if, and only if,
there are no equivalent girls’ teams in that sport. This is further handled
by allowing the girls to participate in a boys’ non-contact sport without
any
Equal Protection and Gender Classification in Sports Programs
Grand Canyon University
POS-500: U.S. and Arizona Constitutions for Teacher Candidates
2
EQUAL PROTECTION AND GENDER CLASSIFICATION
When taking into consideration student classifications in sports based
on gender, one can look at Missouri as an example as to how things are
handled in a fair and equitable manner. As per the 2024-25 MSHSAA
Official Handbook, students are classified in the following ways.
a. Girls may not participate on a boys interscholastic
athletic team in a sport if the school sponsors a girls team
in that sport.
b. Girls may participate on a boys interscholastic athletic team
in a non-contact sport if the school does not sponsor a girls
interscholastic athletic team in that sport. It shall be the
responsibility of the local board of education to determine
, whether to allow girls to participate on boys teams in sports
defined as contact sports in the Federal Title IX Regulations.
c. Boys may not participate on a girls interscholastic athletic
team if the school’s over-all boys athletic program equals or
exceeds the over-all girls athletic program. If the boys over-
all athletic program is not comparable in scope to the girls
over- all athletic program, the principal may request an
evaluation of his/her athletic program in order to assure
equitable
athletic programs for both boys and girls. (MSHSAA, n.d.)
To summarize this, girls can participate in boys’ sports if, and only if,
there are no equivalent girls’ teams in that sport. This is further handled
by allowing the girls to participate in a boys’ non-contact sport without
any
