Niles West has changed freshman physical education classes to co-ed except for swimming, the only classes separated by gender.  This is in accordance with a change in Title IX, an Educational Amendment created in 1972 which was designed to protect students from being discriminated on their sex in education programs from schools that get federal financial assistance. Starting Aug. 1, another change to Title IX has been implemented, which requires schools to have every Physical Education class be co-ed.

Some might be confused about why the separation of genders in P.E. classes is seen as discrimination or unfair treatment. The Director of Physical Welfare Joseph Collins explains that it is a matter of opportunity. 

“In the last year, 2023-24, when they revise things like that act, there was a provision put in there under sex separation and different treatment and it clarifies that a recipient must not separate or treat any person differently based on sex and manner that subjects them to more than minimum harm except in limited specific circumstances. Permitted by Title IX, [the amendment] recognizes that preventing a person from participating in a recipient’s education program or activity consistent with their gender identifies subjects that person more than minimal harm.  And so within that is separating by gender,” Collins said.

Physical welfare teacher Teri Langston thinks that this new change will be able to challenge students more. 

“Is it beneficial? Yes and no. It is necessary because Title IX, I think, is about opportunity to be equitable.  So before, when we had the single-gender classes, students were not able to interact with the other gender, with each other and now they have that opportunity.  We also have the ability for certain units to be separate,  which is very important, because in swimming, we’re gonna be separate, and a lot of our students, a lot of our female students cannot be in swimming, cannot learn swimming with a boy…So they have the opportunity now to be interactive with each other, and we have the opportunity to still be able to teach those who need that separate,” Langston said. 

District 219 thought about making this change before the new rule was implemented, but ultimately decided against it due to units like swimming where students might feel more uncomfortable and vulnerable. 

“It happened this year yes because of the law now being implemented but it’s been talked about before, but never happened up until now because of swimming. And it also helped out with gymnastics, but that has a much simpler solution than swimming,” Langston said.

The school has already thought of a solution for swimming. 

“During swimming, one group will go, all of one gender will go with one teacher, the male teacher. All the boys will go with the male teacher,  and all the girls will go with the female teacher.  So they’ll do swimming, and while we do another activity,  I believe it’s gonna be basketball–we’ll switch. I’ll have all the girls in swimming, and he’ll have all the boys in basketball,” Langston said. 

Some students like Freshman Abubakar Musa say that although P.E. was a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, he enjoys the extra friends he has gained from the change. 

“It’s okay, except for the fact that there’s one boy in like a lot of girls’ classes and stuff, and it’s a little awkward.  But the new change is kind of better because there’s more diversity and the same friends you had are still going to be in your class, but with the new change you get to add a couple more,” Musa said.

Although this change might cause some controversy, Niles West knows how to deal with it. 

“I think any time we have a concern from a parent or community member or any stakeholder in the school, I think it’s important to listen to what they have to say and what their concern is and then pretty much just give them all the information that you can.  So they’re totally aware of the situation and what’s going on, why we did it and how will we be able to address the concern that they have,” Collins said.