Girls at State

In the Wisconsin State Journal's preview of the girls' state high-school basketball tournament, Rob Hernandez reports: "As they did two years ago, the only other time the girls followed the boys on the WIAA schedule, the tournament has the state's basketball stage all to itself."

And about time, too! It should happen this way every other year, and not just by accident, either — by design! Out of a sense of fairness!

For far, far too long the girls have had to play 2nd fiddle to the boys, with their state tournament competing with boys' sectionals for fans, pep bands, cheerleaders, half-time shows, and media coverage. And, since the sectionals always feature 4 times as many teams as state, playing their games closer to home, guess how that turns out?

Title 9, mandating gender equality in sports, was enacted way back in 1972, and it's done wonders for high-school sports in general. It's way past time for the WIAA to do the right thing, eliminate this last vestige of sexism, and make alternating years an official policy.