Great sample letter #2

March 2, 2009

Saddleback Valley Unified School District
Mission Viejo , CA 92691

Via facsimile:

To Whom it may concern;

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity at any educational institution that is a recipient of federal funds.

Athletics, drama, band and other extracurricular student activities are considered to be educational programs under this law.

Currently Mission Viejo High School has the following sports available for male students:
Cross Country, Football, Water Polo, Basketball, Soccer, Wrestling, Baseball, Golf, Roller Hockey, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball and Lacrosse.

Currently Mission Viejo High School has the following sports available for female students:
Cross Country, Golf, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Water Polo, Softball, Swimming, Track & Field and Lacrosse.

In reviewing just one high school it seems that male students have the ability to participate on 13 different teams whereas female students only have the ability to participate in 11. In accordance to Title IX the female student body is not being given equal rights to participate in educational programs.

I understand the philosophy of first in first out but would appreciate the opportunity to see how many players at the Saddleback Valley Unified School District will be affected by removing Lacrosse from their choices of available sports. I would also like to see how many students are participating in sports such as Cross Country, Tennis, Golf, Water Polo, Volleyball and Wrestling. In reviewing possible budget cuts I think we should review what impact this has on our students and is it truly the sport to cut? Does it affect more and less students as other sports.

I also understand that the decision to remove lacrosse is also a financial decision and would appreciate having the opportunity to see how much the Saddleback district is spending for not only lacrosse but for the many other sports currently offered at our district. I believe this audit will help us det ermine if lacrosse is truly the sport to cut or possibly other sports should be removed to assist the budget concerns for our upcoming school year.

I know one area shows the cost to line the fields is $4,050 yet schools like Mater Dei, J-Serra, SMAA pay $300 per field for dual markings. Plus the paint runs about $50 per case and they buy 3 cases of erasable paint. Do we possibly require all CIF sports to self fund themselves so that all sports can remain at the SVUSD? What is truly fair to all students?

Another concern has been injuries at the lacrosse level being a factor in having it removed. I would like to see what the total injury count on this sport versus all other sports is so that this concern can be confirmed and if this is truly not the case. How do these injuries cost the school district in relationship to funding?

I would truly hope that no player is asked to give up the ability to participate in a sport. Lacrosse for my family has given us the op portunity to have my daughters play a sport for the first time in their lives.
We need to also realize that SVUSD will be one of the only districts that does not have a CIF Lacrosse team, if our kids want to play where and who would they play against. The closest boyʼs lacrosse club team is in Huntington Beach and those boys have to travel to places like Saugus, Newbury Park and La Quinta to play. Do we want to do that to our students? I do not even know where our girls would have to go to.

Lacrosse has many students now playing at 2nd through 8th grade levels. In order for these kids to continue to play High School lacrosse we are asking them to attend private High Schools to get their education and have the ability to participate in sports. We have already lost many players to private education, can we afford to lose even more?
Soccer is so competitive at the high school level and as a program that has over 100 girls tryout my daughter would have never had the chance to play, golf is extremely expensive and as a low income family we in no way could afford this.

Lacrosse is one sport that all students can have the opportunity at a high school level to learn and be able to participate in even if you have never played before. Lacrosse was established as early as the 1100ʼs how many current sports at Saddleback district can say that.

Lacrosse Mom