A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              Contact: Rick Miller June 26, 1996                                            (202) 401-3026

STATEMENT BY
U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
RICHARD W. RILEY
Regarding Supreme Court VMI Decision

As the Supreme Court noted, women are successfully participating in the United States military academies, like West Point, and in our nation's military forces. This participation has strengthened the effective role that these academies play in developing military leaders for our entire country.

I agree with the Supreme Court that the exclusion of women from a public college, like VMI, is unconstitutional. I also believe the Supreme Court was correct in ruling that women can benefit from the rigorous training offered at the VMI and that they will now benefit from the educational training to be "citizen soldiers" for which VMI is so famous.