JROTC Decision Revisited

This story missed my attention recently:

SAN FRANCISCO
Board approves year extension for high schools' JROTC program
Classes allowed to count for physical education credit

(12-11) 20:09 PST San Francisco -- The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps gets to stay in San Francisco high schools for one more year, the district's school board decided Tuesday night.

More than 100 students packed the meeting as the board voted 5 to 2 to extend the program through the 2008-2009 school year.

Board President Mark Sanchez and board member Eric Mar voted against the measure.

The board also decided to allow JROTC courses to continue to count toward up to two years of physical education courses, which is required for graduation.

Last November I posted a heartfelt rant about the SFUSD's decision to get rid of the JROTC. I even wrote a letter to Dan Kelly and the rest of the school board members who voted in favor of the ban. He was kind enough to reply to me, and we exchanged ideas for a while, until he quit replying anyhow. That's easier than admitting that you hate the military and are using your postion of power to end a popular military-related program evidently. It does not matter anyhow since Dr. Kelly did not get re-elected to the Board of Education last year. I'll sure miss him.

The board voted a year ago to eliminate the 90-year-old program at the end of this school year, with a majority of members then saying its connection with a discriminatory and homophobic military means it has no place in public education.

At the time of the vote, the board also required a task force to identify an alternative program to replace the popular leadership program that now serves 1,200 students in seven of the district's high schools.

That task force, however, didn't meet until April. This fall, the group - consisting of district staff as well as JROTC supporters and critics - requested an extension of JROTC at all the high schools, saying there wasn't enough time to develop an alternative by this fall.

I knew at the time that they would run into trouble when they actually had to come up with an alternative. How does one re-create a program that teaches responsibility, commitment, respect for authority and physical fitness; especially when those traits are anathema to the Board of Education's personal beliefs? Besides, a football program already exists. A year later, it is no surprise that the "task force" came up dry. This is just further proof that bitching and moaning is far easier than actually coming up with viable alternatives.

So the JROTC is safe for another year from the bloviations of our local anti-military/suicidal-pacifist nannies. I can't wait to see what really bitchin' alternative they offer next year. At least they won't be able to say they did not have enough time to come up with something.