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Dance Team Debate

SOPHOMORE KAIDEN JOHNSON COMPETES WITH HIS SCHOOL AND IN HIS HOME STATE, BUT A COMPETITION IN MINNESOTA ISN’T LETTING HIM IN. THEY SAY IT’S DUE TO TITLE IX - A LAW THAT REQUIRES EQUALITY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AT SCHOOL AND IN THEIR ATHLETICS.

BUT A NON-PROFIT LEGAL ORGANIZATION IS STANDING UP FOR KAIDEN. NIKKI DAVIDSON HAS THE STORY.

NIKKI: BACK IN MAY, KEVIN MERKLE, THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL DANCE TEAM ASSOCIATION TOLD US ON THE PHONE THAT BOYS COULDN'T DANCE IN MINNESOTA... BECAUSE OF TITLE NINE.

VOICE OF KEVIN MERKLE: "IT PRECLUDES MALES FROM BEING ON TEAMS THAT ARE FOR FEMALES, AND THAT WAS BROUGHT IN AT THE TIME OF TITLE IX WHEN GIRL'S ATHLETICS FIRST STARTED. THE IDEA BEHIND THAT WAS TO PROTECT THOSE TEAMS, AND NOT TAKE OPPORTUNITIES FROM FEMALES. FEMALES CAN PARTICIPATE ON MALE TEAMS BUT NOT VICE VERSA."

NIKKI: BUT THE FOUNDATION SAYS... A PERSON'S SEX SHOULDN'T DETERMINE OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGH SCHOOL... AND THEY BELIEVE THE BYLAW THAT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE 1970S VIOLATES KAIDEN'S AND ANY MALES CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS IN MINNESOTA.

THE FOUNDATION SENT A LETTER TO THE MINNESOTA HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE LETTING THEM KNOW THEY HAVE THREE WEEKS TO ALLOW BOYS TO DANCE... OR FACE A LAWSUIT.

JOSHUA:: WE NEED AN ANSWER BY THEN BECAUSE THE DANCE SEASON IS ABOUT TO START. NOT ONLY KAIDEN, BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MINNESOTA BOYS WHO HAVE CONTACTED PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION THAT REALLY WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DANCE AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL.

NIKKI: ITS ONLY BEEN ONE DAY... BUT SO FAR... THE FOUNDATION SAYS IT HASN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE LEAGUE.

JOSHUA: THEY HAVE BEEN SILENT TODAY, AND THEY'VE BEEN SILENT FOR 6 MONTHS, SO IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO JUSTIFY THE DISCRIMINATORY POLICY, OR CHANGE IT.


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