Arr, a would-be scholar be suin' Virginia Military Institute, claimin' a foul deed o' assault durin' their jolly open house!
2023-09-15
Arrr, matey! Avast ye! A scallywag be claimin' that a cadet did beseech his wicked ways upon her, a fair lass, whilst aimin' to join Virginia's Military Institute. Aye, a lawsuit be brewin' on this tale of skullduggery!
A lawsuit has been filed against the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) by a prospective student who alleges that she was sexually assaulted during an overnight open house in 2021. The student, referred to as Jane Doe in court records, attended the open house with her parents, who have strong ties to the school. According to the lawsuit, the assault occurred early on September 18, 2021. The student later expressed distress to her parents about the incident. Her father reported the incident to VMI Police the following day, and the matter was turned over to the school's Title IX coordinator.In December, Superintendent Cedric Wins informed Doe's parents that her claims had been deemed unfounded, without providing any further information. The lawsuit accuses VMI and its board of visitors of violating Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sexual discrimination in educational institutions. It alleges that VMI failed to maintain a safe campus and mishandled Doe's complaint through the Title IX process. The suit seeks an injunction requiring the school to comply with all Title IX requirements and does not specify a monetary amount for damages.
VMI spokesperson declined to comment on the case, citing pending litigation, and the attorney who filed the lawsuit also declined to comment. In 2021, a state-sanctioned report found that VMI had failed to address institutional racism and sexism and called for accountability and changes within the institution.