Dr. Bernice Sandler - The Godmother of Title IX

Bernice Sandler was a determined leader whose fight for equal opportunities changed education in America forever.

Bernice “Bunny” Sandler did not set out to become a leader in education reform. She was a student, teacher, and later an administrator who noticed a clear pattern, women were rarely offered tenure-track positions at universities. When she earned her doctorate at the University of Maryland, she wasn’t even considered for a faculty job. Curious, she asked a professor why. His answer was blunt: “Let’s face it, Bunny, you come on too strong for a woman.” Hurt, she went home and told her husband, who quickly replied: “It’s not you. It’s them. It’s sex discrimination.” That realization would change her life.

Born on March 3, 1928, in Brooklyn, New York, Bernice grew up noticing unfair rules. She was not allowed to take woodshop, become a crossing guard, or even run the classroom projector, jobs reserved for boys. Angry, she told her mother that one day she would change the world.

Bernice pursued education despite the limits placed on women. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brooklyn College, the first liberal arts school in New York that accepted both men and women. She later received her master’s degree from City College of New York. After marrying Jerrold Sandler and having two daughters, she returned to school and earned a Doctor of Education degree in Counseling and Personnel Services from the University of Maryland, the same school that denied her a full-time position.

Instead of giving up, Bernice became more determined. She joined the Women’s Equity Action League (WEAL), a group fighting for women’s rights, and served as Chair of the Action Committee for Federal Contract Compliance. While working there, she discovered something powerful: President Lyndon B. Johnson had quietly amended Executive Order 11375 to include “sex” among the categories employers could not use to discriminate. Since many colleges had government contracts, this law meant they were breaking federal rules when they discriminated against women.

Excited, Bernice called the Office of Federal Contract Compliance at the U.S. Department of Labor. To her surprise, she was immediately connected with the director, Vincent Macaluso. He admitted he had been waiting for someone to bring such a complaint, and the two began planning action.

Bernice gathered evidence and soon filed complaints against 250 schools between 1969 and 1971, including major state university systems in California, New Jersey, and Florida. In 1970, with WEAL’s support, she filed a class-action lawsuit against all federally funded universities in the United States.

Her activism soon brought her to Congress. In 1970, she testified at the first congressional hearing on sex discrimination in education and employment. Later, she became an Educational Specialist for the House of Representatives Special Subcommittee on Education. It was here that Bernice and others helped create Title IX, part of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Title IX became one of the most important civil rights laws in American history. It banned sex discrimination in education programs and activities, covering areas such as admissions, financial aid, and employment. It also protected pregnant students, students with children, and victims of sexual harassment. Perhaps its most visible impact has been in athletics. Before Title IX, only 15% of college athletes were women. Today, that number is about 44%.

Bernice Sandler never stopped working for equality. She served as director of the Project on the Status and Education of Women at the Association of American Colleges for 20 years and gave more than 2,500 presentations at schools and organizations across the country. Even military schools, such as the Citadel in South Carolina, sought her advice on including women.

Over the years, she earned many awards and honorary degrees. In 2013, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Bernice passed away in 2019, but her legacy lives on every time a woman steps onto a playing field, enters a science lab, or applies for a job without fear of being rejected simply for being female.

References:
Alexander, Kerri Lee. “Bernice Sandler.” National Women’s History Museum, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/bernice-sandler.
“The Beginning of Title IX – the Bernice Sandler Story.” National Federation of State High School Associations, nfhs.org/stories/the-beginning-of-title-ix-the-bernice-sandler-story.
“Bernice Resnick Sandler.” National Women’s Hall of Fame, www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/bernice-resnick-sandler/.

Key words:
Civil Rights, Justice, Courage, Perseverance, Freedom, Responsibility, Challenge Injustices, Stand Up for Your Beliefs

Image Citation:
Public Domain

Explore ARTEFFECT projects about this Unsung Hero:
Bernice Sandler Artworks