ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512180080
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
Attorney General Jim Gilmore filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday in defense of keeping Virginia Military Institute all male.
The U.S. Justice Department is challenging a federal appeals court ruling that allowed VMI to set up a separate, women's leadership academy at nearby Mary Baldwin College this fall instead of admitting women.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case Jan. 17.
Gilmore wrote in the brief that the court should uphold the lower court's ruling that the Virginia Women's Institute for Leadership provides an adequate alternative to VMI.
``The VWIL and VMI programs, together with the state's co-educational schools, afford our young men and women the widest range of choice in education,'' Gilmore said. ``Our sons and daughters should have the opportunity to choose the educational program that suits their future dreams and aspirations.''
A number of people and organizations filed friend-of-the-court briefs on behalf of VMI on Friday, including the states of South Carolina, Wyoming and Pennsylvania.
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