VMI on the Dole

VMI is back in the news. Two cadets, with the assistance of the ACLU, are asking the school to terminate religious prayers before supper in the VMI mess hall. VMI superintendent Josiah Bunting III has responded by saying that he is ready for a court fight, proclaiming that “the Constitution does not prohibit our saying grace before supper.” But Bunting misses three important points: (1) The Constitution does prohibit state institutions from forcing people to participate in religious prayer; (2) VMI, by its own choice, is a state-supported institution; and (3) VMI requires its freshmen and sophomores to eat supper every night in the mess hall and to stand up for the prayer. Five years ago, VMI had the opportunity to get off the state dole and go totally private, but chose instead to remain on the state welfare rolls. At that time, the Justice Department was ordering VMI to accept women into the school, and VMI resisted the order, making basically the same argument as it is now making — that the Constitution enabled it to choose its own students. But VMI was wrong then, and it’s wrong now. There is only one sound approach for an institution that prides itself on instilling a sense of independence among its cadets: Get totally off the state welfare rolls and go totally private, which would mean relying totally on voluntary donations and enrollment fees. This would enable the school to set whatever rules it wants, independent of government control. Most important, an institution that teaches its cadets that it’s morally wrong to take what rightfully belongs to others has no business engaging in that same practice through the political process. For the complete Washington Times story, see: https://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/default-200144221359.htm