Lesson 4:Patsy Mink

Level: W
DRA: 60
Genre:
Narrative Nonfiction
Strategy:
Monitor/Clarify
Skill:
Sequence of Events
Word Count: 2,494
Patsy Mink
5.1.4
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books
ISBN-13:978-0-547-01723-5
ISBN-10:0-547-01723-5
by D. Jeanne Glaser
1031570
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN
Patsy Mink
by D. Jeanne Glaser
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Table of Contents
Introduction: Patsy Mink and Title IX
3
A Lifelong Fight for Equality
4
Law School
5
More Discrimination
6
Running for Office
7
How Title IX Began
8
The Hard Road to Passage of Title IX
10
The Battle Is Won… Or Is It?
12
Mink Fights to Protect Title IX
13
Supporters Take Up the Fight
14
The Battle Continues
15
Patsy Mink’s Legacy Lives On
16
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Introduction:
Patsy Mink
and Title IX
Patsy Takemoto Mink is a name
to know. Mink was a United States
Congresswoman from Hawaii. She
was responsible for the passage of a
historic law that guaranteed women
equal opportunities in education.
That law, signed in June 1972, is
known as Title IX (nine).
When Title IX first passed, few
President Lyndon
Johnson greets Patsy
Mink after her election
to Congress in 1964.
people, including Patsy Mink, could
have predicted the law’s revolutionary effect. It created a
vibrant new era in girls’ sports. Before Title IX, most public
schools discouraged girls from playing sports. The new law
changed that. It promised female students athletic
opportunities equal to those received by male students.
Thanks to Title IX, hundreds of thousands of
American girls and women were allowed to play sports
in school for the first time. Patsy Mink was instrumental
in getting Title IX passed. She also worked tirelessly
throughout her life to protect this groundbreaking law.
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A Lifelong Fight for Equality
Why was Patsy Takemoto Mink so passionate about
equal rights and opportunities for women? The answer lies
in her early life. As a young Japanese American woman in
the 1940s and 1950s, Mink faced many obstacles and
challenges. Her passion for equality developed during the
many years she spent fighting discrimination.
Patsy Takemoto was born in Hawaii in 1927. Her
family had lived in Hawaii since the 1800s when her
grandparents emigrated from Japan. They came to work
on Hawaii’s sugar plantations.
Growing up in Hawaii, Patsy dreamed of being a
doctor. In 1948, after finishing college, she applied to
medical school. Although she was an excellent student,
and could recite complex medical information, she was
rejected—not from one school, but from 12! At the time,
most medical schools did not want to admit women as
students. People of Japanese descent also experienced
discrimination during this time. As a Japanese American
woman, Patsy had almost no chance of getting in.
Despite this rejection, Patsy Takemoto was determined
to succeed in life. The experience also inspired her to fight
unfair treatment of women.
4
Law School
Barred from medical
school, Patsy went after another
dream. She believed that a
person should serve others.
She decided that she could help
people by becoming a lawyer.
For women, getting into law
school was not much easier
than being accepted to medical
school. However, Patsy was
fortunate. She was admitted
to the University of Chicago’s
John and Patsy Mink at
home in Hawaii
law school.
After graduating from law school in 1951, Patsy
encountered another obstacle. None of the law firms in
Chicago would hire her. Their reason had nothing to do
with her law degree. Patsy had married her husband, John
Mink, while she was in law school. Employers had a
uniform policy. They refused to hire married women.
They thought married women should stay home.
Unable to get a job, Patsy Mink left Chicago with her
husband and their six-month-old daughter, Wendy. They
returned to Hawaii.
5
More Discrimination
In Hawaii, Patsy encountered more discrimination.
Government officials told her that she could not take the
bar exam qualifying her to practice law in Hawaii. They
said that only residents of Hawaii could take the exam.
According to the officials, Mink was not considered a
resident even though she had been born and raised there.
Patsy was outraged. When she learned why Hawaii
didn’t consider her a resident, she was shocked. The officials
had used her husband’s place of birth, Pennsylvania, to
determine her residency! In the opinion of the government,
Patsy didn’t count; she had no legal standing of her
own. She only existed through
her husband.
But Patsy Mink
would not give up. She
fought for the right to
take the bar exam—
and won. When she
passed the exam, she
also made history. She
became the first Japanese
American woman lawyer
in Hawaii’s history.
6
Honolulu, Hawaii, in the 1950s
Running for Office
Unfortunately, law firms in
Honolulu had hiring policies
identical to those of the Chicago
firms. None would hire a
married woman. Still, Patsy
refused to be intimidated. She
decided to run for public office
instead.
Patsy’s motive for entering
politics was simple. Politics
offered a powerful way to
stop discrimination against
women. In 1956, she achieved
her goal, becoming the first
After being elected to
Congress in 1964,
Representative Patsy Mink
hangs a homemade sign on
her office door.
Japanese American woman to
serve in the Hawaii House of Representatives. Mink was
a successful legislator. Two years later, in 1958, she was
elected to the Hawaii Senate. She worked to guarantee
women equal pay and equal opportunities in education.
In 1964, Patsy Mink made history again when she was
elected to the United States Congress. There she would make
her greatest contribution to women’s equality—Title IX.
7
How Title IX Began
In 1971, Congresswoman Patsy Mink was offered a
significant opportunity to improve the lives of American
girls. One of her fellow legislators, Representative Edith
Green of Oregon, was drafting an unusual bill to present
to the House of Representatives. If passed, the law would
ban discrimination against girls in schools. Edith Green
asked Mink to join her in writing the proposed law. Patsy
Mink leapt at the chance.
Why Was Title IX Needed?
Before Title IX, girls often faced discrimination in
education. For example, they were not encouraged to
take math or science classes. They took home economics,
where they would learn such skills as sewing and
cooking. But they were not allowed to enroll in shop
class to learn woodworking and repair skills.
This discrimination also extended to school sports. Few
schools had sports programs for girls. Girls could be
cheerleaders but not forwards on the basketball team.
Female athletes rarely got college scholarships.
8
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The Language of Title IX
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis
of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied
the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
under any educational program or activity receiving
Federal financial assistance.”
Title IX was simple but powerful. Title IX stated that any
programs or activities in schools that were supported by
money from the U.S. government had to offer the same
opportunities to both girls and boys. Simply stated, schools
could no longer treat female and male students differently.
Representatives Mink and Green didn’t include the word
sports in the law. When they were drafting it, they weren’t
thinking specifically about sports. They assumed that Title IX
would deal mostly with educational opportunities.
But later, after the bill passed and became law, the
U.S. government determined that Title IX applied to
school sports as well as to other school programs. This
unexpected news would change the lives of American
girls and women forever.
9
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The Hard Road to Passage
of Title IX
Title IX was a controversial piece of legislation. Getting
the bill passed and signed into law wasn’t easy. Patsy Mink
accepted the challenge of steering the bill through Congress.
She knew the routines of Congress. She had also mastered
the negotiating skills necessary to succeed. Respected by her
colleagues, Mink was considered a smart and determined
legislator who followed her conscience.
In the fall of 1971, Title IX was ready for debate in
Congress. The proposed law created strong feelings
among members of both the House of Representatives
and the Senate. Some members of Congress supported it.
Others thought the bill was misguided or possibly even
dangerous. One congressman
suggested that Title IX could
ruin the American education system. He felt that
the U.S. government
had no business
“forcing” colleges
to accept women.
10
How a Bill Becomes Law
UNITED STATES CONGRESS
House of Representatives
Senate
A bill (proposal
pro
for a new law)
is introduced
od
in the House.
A bill (proposal for a new
ne law)
is introduced in the Senate.
en
Bill goes
oe to House committee
for debate.
eb
Bill goes to Senate committee
mm
for debate.
If the co
committee votes in
favor of the bill, it goes
before th
the entire House.
If the committee votess in
favor of the bill, it goes
es
before the entire Senate.
nat
The House
se debates and
votes on the
he bill.
The Senate debates
es and
votes on the bill.
If House and Senate bills differ,
r, a committee of House and
Senate members meets to reach
c a compromise.
If both House and Senate
en
approve the
compromise bill, it goes
o to the President.
The President signs or vetoes the
bill. If signed, the bill becomes law.
11
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The Battle Is Won… Or Is It?
After many months of hard
work by Patsy Mink and other allies
of Title IX, Congress passed a final
version of the bill in early June 1972.
President Richard Nixon signed
Title IX into law on June 23. Mink
and her congressional allies celebrated
the victory. The battle for Title IX had
been won—or so it seemed.
For the next few years, the federal
government worked to figure out exactly how Title IX
would affect schools. One of the biggest questions about
Title IX related to sports. Were school athletics even covered by Title IX? Or did the law apply only to educational
opportunities, not athletics? Finally, the government determined that Title IX did apply to sports, since the law
covered all school activities. Sports is a school activity.
Many people in the world of sports and in schools
became outraged. They feared the law would ruin professional football and baseball by taking resources away from
boys’ sports programs. These people fought hard to get
Title IX rewritten and made weaker. Others wanted the
law repealed completely.
12
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Mink Fights to Protect Title IX
In July 1975, Patsy Mink put her leadership skills to
work again—this time to protect Title IX. One congressman wanted to rewrite the law to state that gym classes
would not mix boys and girls. Patsy Mink and other
supporters argued that adding such rules would weaken
Title IX.
A frightening turn of events took place during the
House of Representatives’ debate—one that Patsy Mink
would never forget. Mink was forced to leave the debate
before the members
voted. She had received
frightening news that
her daughter, Wendy,
had been badly hurt in a
car accident. When the
House vote was taken,
the change in Title IX
passed—by one heartbreaking vote. The one
vote needed to keep the
change from passing
was Patsy Mink’s.
Mink’s husband, John, and
daughter, Wendy, were enthusiastic
supporters of her political career.
13
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Supporters Take Up the Fight
The battle for Title IX still wasn’t over. The Senate
also had to approve the change passed by the House.
But for Patsy Mink, her daughter came first. She left
Washington, D.C., to help Wendy recover from the
car accident.
Since Mink was not in Washington to lobby senators for
Title IX, her supporters took up the fight. They went into
battle reciting the slogan, “Give Women a Sporting Chance!”
Thanks to their efforts, the Senate rejected the House of
Representatives’ change to Title IX. Instead, the Senate
reaffirmed its support for the original version of the law.
But now the House had to vote on Title IX again. Their
version of the law had to be reconciled with the Senate’s
version. Once more, Patsy Mink’s supporters sprang into
action. They reminded House members of Mink’s position
on Title IX and her opposition to the change. The House
members listened. They voted against the proposed
change. Title IX was safe. Soon after, the law went into
effect across the nation.
Patsy Mink celebrated the 30th anniversary of Title IX
during halftime at the National Women’s Basketball
Association All-Star game on July 15, 2002.
14
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The Battle Continues
But Patsy Mink was not able to relax and enjoy the
victories. During the remaining 14 years she served in the
House, Mink had to remain focused on protecting Title IX.
The new law was frequently under attack. Various groups
of people tried to change it or get rid of it completely. By
2007, this controversial law had gone back to Congress
more than 24 times—many more times than most laws.
The 30th anniversary of Title IX was in 2002. To mark
the occasion, Patsy Mink made a speech in the House of
Representatives. She said, “Title IX is a story of celebration;
it is also a story of struggle… For 30 years, we have constantly needed to be on guard to defend it.”
15
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Patsy Mink’s Legacy Lives On
Title IX is a revolutionary law. It has improved the lives
of millions of girls and women. Without Patsy Takemoto
Mink, it might never have passed.
Today, more and more girls and women take part in
school sports. In U.S. high schools, the number of girls
playing sports increased by 800 percent between 1971 and
2002. In colleges, the number of women in sports increased
by 400 percent.
Participating in school sports brings many benefits.
It not only improves health and fitness; it also teaches
students to work in unison and practice teamwork.
Playing sports builds self-confidence—an important
element of success. That element was surely one that
helped Patsy Mink reach her goals. She wanted all girls
and women to have the opportunity to achieve.
Patsy Mink’s legacy has also helped more women
develop the physical abilities necessary to participate in
the Olympics and in professional sports competitions.
With the early training made possible by Title IX, girls
and women have been able to become strong, highly
skilled athletes.
16
However, Patsy Mink knew
that efforts to weaken Title IX
would continue. In 2002, the
year she died, Mink said, “I still
see so much that needs to be
done.” And she was right.
In 2007, only 41 percent of
athletes in high school were
girls. Surveys taken that year
showed that in some places,
girls’ teams still did not get
equal treatment. For example,
the fields they played on were
not always of the same quality
as the ones for boys.
Mink knew that people
Patsy Mink served in Congress
until her death in 2002.
must not take equal opportunity
for granted. She said, “[W]e all need to be reminded that
since Title IX was put in place by a legislative body, it can
be taken away by a legislative body.”
In 2002, to honor Mink’s extraordinary work on Title
IX, Congress renamed the law the Patsy Takemoto Mink
Equal Opportunity in Education Act. Patsy Mink would
have proudly accepted this honor.
17
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Patsy Takemoto Mink
1927
Born on the island of Maui, Hawaii
1943 Elected first female student body president
of her high school
1948 Graduated from the University of Hawaii
1951
Earned law degree at University of Chicago;
married John Mink
1953
Became first Japanese American female
lawyer in Hawaii’s history
1956 Became first Japanese American woman in
Hawaii’s House of Representatives
1958, 1962 Elected to Hawaii’s Senate
1964 First woman of color elected to U.S. Congress;
served six consecutive terms
1971
Began work on Title IX
1972 President Richard Nixon signed Title IX
into law
1977
Retired from U.S. Congress
1990
Returned to U.S. House of Representatives;
continued to protect Title IX
2002 Died while in office
18
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Responding
Sequence of Events What
sequence of events led to Title IX becoming law?
Copy and complete the chart below. Add boxes
as necessary.
TARGET SKILL
Event: Patsy Mink is elected to the U.S.
House of Representatives in 1964.
Event:
?
Event:
?
Write About It
Text to World Imagine that you are a student in the
mid-1970s, after Title IX became law. Write a short
fictional narrative describing some of the changes
that occurred at school because of Title IX.
19
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TARGET VOCABULARY
competition
qualifying
element
recite
identical
routine
intimidated
uniform
mastered
unison
TARGET SKILL Sequence of Events Identify the
time order in which events take place.
TARGET STRATEGY Monitor/Clarify As you read,
notice what isn’t making sense. Find ways to figure out
the parts that are confusing.
GENRE Narrative Nonfiction gives factual information
by telling a true story.
20
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Level: W
DRA: 60
Genre:
Narrative Nonfiction
Strategy:
Monitor/Clarify
Skill:
Sequence of Events
Word Count: 2,494
Patsy Mink
5.1.4
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN
Online Leveled Books
ISBN-13:978-0-547-01723-5
ISBN-10:0-547-01723-5
by D. Jeanne Glaser
1031570
H O UG H T O N M IF F L IN