In a number of school districts in Franklin County, Indiana, during high school basketball season, most of the Friday and Saturday night lights in the gymnasium were customarily reserved for the boys' basketball teams. The girls' teams were given some of the so-called "primetime" weekend spots, but only for half the number of games as the boys' teams. The girls were relegated for the most part to the much less desirable Monday through Thursday slots, where game play had to be balanced against math homework and, perhaps for potential attendees, Monday Night Football or Comedy Thursday. Amber Parker, the coach of the girls' team, tried to get more of the desirable primetime slots for the girls' team, but when she failed, she brought suit under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681(a).
Title IX was enacted in 1972, and provides in part: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of...
