The Thin Gray Gender Line

V.M.I. gets state funds, and it bars women. Fine, says a federal judge, because that permits bonding.

The all-male Virginia Military Institute was faring better than the beleaguered Boy Scouts last week. A federal judge ruled that the elite college, which has maintained a single-sex admissions policy since its founding in 1839, could continue to discriminate. "V.M.I. truly marches to the beat of a different drummer," concluded Judge Jackson L. Kiser, "and I will permit it to continue to do so."

The Justice Department brought suit against V.M.I. 16 months ago, claiming that exclusion of women from the state school was unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment's equal-protection clause. After hearing arguments in April, Judge Kiser, who got his...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!