ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 27, 1996 TAG: 9606270036
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
THE MAJORITY OPINION
"Women seeking and fit for a VMI-quality education cannot be offered anything less, under the state's obligation to afford them genuinely equal protection . . . Neither the goal of producing citizen-soldiers nor VMI's implementing methodology is inherently unsuitable to women. There is no reason to believe that the admission of women capable of all the activities required of VMI cadets would destroy the institute rather than enhance its capcity to serve the more perfect union."
- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg
THE MINORITY OPINION
"Today the court shuts down an institution that has served the people of the commonwealth of Virginia with pride and distinction for over a century and a half. I do not think any of us, women included, will be better off for its destruction."
- Justice Antonin Scalia
WHAT VMI SAYS
"This is a savage disappointment for the alumni. many alumni will be heartbroken when they hear it . . . We have argued the case for single-gender instruction at VMI nobly, carefully, and I think we made our point as well as it could be made. We fought the good fight."
- VMI Superintendent Josiah Bunting
WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAYS
"The nation's highest court has spoken, and we need to bring Virginia into compliance. The Supreme Court's decision suggests there are several different options open to us, and in the days ahead I will be consulting with Attorney General [Jim] Gilmore, the General Assembly's leadership, and the VMI community to determine an appropriate course of action." - Gov. George Allen
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
VMI's governing body, the board of visitors, meets July 11-13. Among the options it may consider is whether the state-supported school should become private as a way to stay all-male. However, such a move would require state approval and millions of dollars - and both Gov. George Allen and Attorney General Jim Gilmore said the state would comply with the court ruling to admit women. If VMI remains state-supported, no women could be enrolled before the fall of 1997, says VMI Superintendent Josiah Bunting. "We literally do not have room in the entering class nor do we have any applications [from women]," he said.
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
To read the complete Supreme Court decision, go online at: To read the complete Supreme Court decision, go on line at: http://www.law.Cornell.edu/supct.
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Ginsberg, Scalia. color. Graphic: logo. KEYWORDS: TYINby CNB