JROTC in San Francisco rescued
When last I reported to you on the fate of the JROTC program in San Francisco, which was targeted last year by moonbats and scheduled for cancellation, the school board had iced a resolution in November to give the cadets a reprieve.
Reader Doug sends a bit of good news via the SF Chronicle: The board granted the program a year-long extension last night. Why? Because they haven’t been able to put any effective, acceptable substitute programs in place:
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.
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…
…JROTC fosters student leadership skills using a military command structure. The curriculum includes citizenship, the U.S. Constitution, uniform care, navigation skills and physical training including marching drills.
The district splits the $1.7 million cost of JROTC with the federal government.
A recent survey of JROTC students in San Francisco schools found that 74 percent of the 835 current and former cadets felt that the program was a place where they felt “safe and appreciated in high school.” At the same time, 16 percent said they were interested in pursuing a military career.
If the board had a lick of courage, it would admit it made a mistake and stand up to the anti-war loons like this one:
“I’m really disappointed,” said Martha Hubert, a member of Code Pink who opposed the extension. Students “should have a choice of better things to do.”
Hubert and her Pinko ilk are the ones who are anti-choice. Shame.
***
Previous:
San Francisco educators put JROTC reprieve on ice
Intolerant San Francisco & JROTC
San Francisco kills JROTC program
Waging war on JROTC
They don’t support our troops
An attack on the ROTC
More recruiters under attack
I am not afraid of you
The moonbats strike back
Seditious Santa Cruz vs. America
UC Santa Cruz hates our troops
The moonbats lose
SCOTUS Watch: Rumsfeld vs. FAIR
The campus war on military recruiters
Military recruiters under fire
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Vets for Freedom Heroes Tour spurned by Minneapolis high school; Update: VFF’s David Bellavia speaks
Categories: They don't support the troops
Patterico
» Yellowcake Uranium Moved Out Of Iraq
Power Line
» Setting the record straight on Bud Day, and CNNPatterico
» Your Assignment: Compile Obama’s Flip-FlopsGateway Pundit
» It Must Suck Being Joe Wilson Todayprotein wisdom
» AJ Strata Nukes Obama Birth Cert Forgery Theorists [Dan Collins]Power Line
» Pointing FingersBelmont Club
» IntermezzoTigerHawk
» Judgment on Iraq: Sorting right from wrongGateway Pundit
» Col. Bud Day "Swiftboats" General Wesley Clark (Video)NewsBusters.org
» McCain, Like a 'Scary...Gun In The House'?
Probably the only good news to come out of SF in 2007 and yet it is simply a result of a technicality.
They will do their best to eliminate the program as soon as they can.
In her line of work she should be used to disappointment. Looks like their precedent for getting the JROTC kicked out of other schools is delayed (should be off the table completely) for another year. HAHA!
They do. They choose to do JROTC.
Has anyone told this loon that JROTC is optional and they do “have a choice”. Geez!
Good for the kids, they get to keep their program! Hopefully they’ll keep up the pressure up and the fires hot on the feet of that moonbat school board!
It’s only a ‘choice’ when it fits their agenda.
What a joke SF is the city with a multitude of choices the pinko’s are just upset because these kids chose an honorable one.
I guess Martha Hubert of Code Pink would rather this young people would be joining gangs and preying on the innocents of their neighborhoods instead on learning about self discipline, honor, duty, and country. I am happy for these young people who can once again obtain skills through this experience that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Yep,choice means:
abort a baby: Good Sacred Choice
serve the country: Never allowed to be a choice
These lunatics are totally twisted.
“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.”
Aside from that outrageous statement being the basis for the vote last year, something caused this change. Don’t be surprised if SanFreakcisco was concerned about the potential loss of $$$$ contributing to this reversal.
Their “replacement choice” would be something similar to the Communist Youth League.
Hey Ms. Pinko Hubert, why don’t you organize a program with the same values as JROTC?
Wait……I forgot–duty, honor, and country means nothing to you.
Ms. Pinko Hubert should go hang with Zacarias Moussaoui; he’d teach her (in his own way) what it means to him to be an American.
Homophobic is a poor choice of words to describe the military. Homophobia is a fear of gays. The reality is that the military doesn’t fear gays. Military leadership simply recognizes that it can do better without them.
In the minds of militant gays, the military’s “crime” is not persecuting them, but ignoring them (e.g., “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell”).
If there’s one thing they can’t stand, it’s (forgive me) being left behind.
Mark Sanchez is a bigot, and a liar. Being gay himself, he is rabidly anti-military for their “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Despite the fact that this policy in no way prohibits gays from serving, Mr. Sanchez, and his ignorant ilk, continue to spew this lie.
The JRROTC is most certainly a course that gay kids are welcome to sign up for, and they can be as gay as they want, for this is NOT a US Military branch. Hence, it is not governed by the UCMJ.
Mr. Sanchez will no doubt, fight this matter to its pre-determined, San Francisco-ish end. Remember, this is the city that denied the war scarred lady, Battleship USS Iowa, a permanent berth to become a living museum because it was too “militaristic”.
Being a California National Guardsman, (currently in Iraq, defending even the boobs in SF) I would have a hard time responding to any call for help from SF. I’d do it, but I won’t like it.
What, CAIR and/or HAMAS don’t have any youth programs?, no Anarchist of America Youth Corps? /sarc
Yep, it’s the money.
At least this way, the voters have a general election to vote these idiots out of office. Snort, like that’s gonna happen.
And the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is mandated by Congress.
I believe the truth is that they are just anti-military, hence any rationalization will do.
army, Thank you for your service!
This is proof positive that what these people want is not only our acceptance of this lifestyle but the stamp of approval. Special privileges, is you will.
Serve if you want to serve but quit crying about your sexuality. It will mean absolutely nothing on the battlefield.
Special privileges, “if you will.”
Jr Code Pink is next
Pink CAIR Bears. Class where you learn even more tolerance by actually converting to Islam.
Soap, don’t forget to dress the bears in pink burkhas.
Can they be talking CAIR Bears?
In honor of Medea they can say:
How about — Escorting those San Francisco moonbats onto the USS Iowa for a one-way trip to Iran where they will be welcomed with open arms.
Then the USS Iowa can unload any extra ammo onto Iran “while they are there anyway”.
Dream assignment? — Everybody wins!
To Code Pink folks, choice has a different meaning.
I hope SFO residents open their eyes wide. Their public officials are not concerned about the public good, they are only after propagating the leftist agenda.
Absolutely no forethought…only knee jerk reactions here. SO typical in SF….
Tuesday
One problem, that is exactly why those crackpot leftists got elected in the first place. That’s why I call it
SanFreakcisco. There is virtually zero hope for that place…none.
does that require leather, chains, pink boas, and marital aids?
They can’t have a choice if there are no subjects to choose from….Code Pinko’s…..
Regardless, it looks like SF has worked its magic on these kids. Only 16 percent of students were interested in joining the military? I think 75% or better of my high school graduating class that were in JROTC went on to either enlisted service or to ROTC at the college level. Different time, but this was even in Washington.
Perhaps what we need is a division or two that’s all homosexuals. Then deploy them to Iraq or Afghanistan. Heck, we could even let them design their own uniforms.
Seriously, though, let ‘em run their schools how they wish. Just do two things. Cut off all federal aid, and stop telling more conservative school boards how to run their schools.
I did 3 years of USMC JROTC during high school and it was the best thing I did. One of the things that it teaches you is patriotism towards your country. That might be what the loonies hate most about the program. We did a lot of charity work with the community and people were proud to have us help.
Leftists are like Islamists. There is choice, as long as you agree with us and do as
we want you to do. If you think differently, you are the enemy.
Our sons were in ROTC. It was really good for them. One joined the Air Force and
one wanted to, but asthma prevented him from doing so.
One of our younger sons classmates and fellow ROTC member was in the military
and was in one of the Towers on 9/11. Her family is still proud that she was in
ROTC and in the military. (Off topic but accolades to this brave young woman and
her family).
The Fightin’ 69th! Upchuck.
I’m all for the program but would like to know what exactly they are spending $1400 dollars of my tax money per kid on?
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the - Web Reconnaissance for 12/12/2007 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
Has anyone bothered to explain the concept of “voluntary” to this dhim-bulb?
All firey bluster from the political apparatchiks of San Francisco.
They will have to run over the kids to eliminate the program. So do it in broad daylight, you rats. Let us see you actually do it.
No guts. For anything.