Rules are designed to keep people in line, but The Citadel's ban on women is out of line.

Officials at The Citadel, an all-male military school in South Carolina, should take a careful look at their long-standing policy forbidding women from attending the state-supported school. After an extended court battle, the school was forced to allow Shannon Faulkner to attend class last week, but that is not enough.

Faulkner opened the door a crack when she began attending class under a court order, but she must keep pushing that heavy door until it is wide open. She must push until she is permitted into all school activities, including the Corp of Cadets. She deserves to wear the uniform. The school must also supply room and board for Faulkner -- accommodations equal to the housing provided for male cadets.

The state partially finances the school, and that means the school must drop the discriminatory policy and open its doors to all people. The Citadel needs to do more than just "adhere to the law of the land" as school president Claudius Watts III said.

The next step for school officials is to actively begin recruiting women to join the institution. The school must maintain its admission standards, which Faulkner met, and create a welcoming and safe atmosphere for women.

Most of the other military schools, including West Point and the Naval Academy, allow women to become full members. It's about time for The Citadel to follow suit.

Faulkner has shown that women have what it takes to be cadets by fighting for her rights. But the battle has just begun, and her small success should not overshadow the fact that she is still outside of the ranks.