What do people think of this? SF school board bans JROTC in a 4-2 vote over the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy, despite the protests of many students.
Matt in SF, any comments? You seem to be the one closest to the situation.
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” is not a “policy.” It is a Presidential Directive (signed by Bill Clinton) which carries the force of law. BTW–the directive does NOT apply to JROTC since they are NOT military. Even their instructors are not military, they are retired military who are employees of the local school board. JROTC is NOT a military recruiting program, it is a citizenship development and informational program. Punishing the kids who wish to partake of this opportunity (many times those kids who cannot play football or other organized sports) is asinine.
Personally I also think it’s a bit asinine as stated above. What I am wondering is if the Federal government will now pull all federal funding from the SF school district.
IMHO it is ones duty to “serve ones country”. The military is just one possible way to do this. The military is one of, if not the most important service that the FEDERAL government exists to provide. If SF decides that they want no part of the military, then does it not makes sense that SF should not receive federal funding, or at least less funding?
~Matt
A couple of weeks ago, they did a story on the news about this. They interviewed a bunch of the kids in the program. All of them talked about how their grades have gone up since entering the program. None of them are planning on going into the military. One of the kids in the program was gay. The only upside is that they are phasing out the program, so none of the kids currently enrolled will be kicked out, just no more can enter.
SF has some of the worst schools in the state. I’m sure this new policy will help.
I was surprised that they even had JROTC in San Francisco.
Hey, I’m right there with you. The Don’t Ask Don’t Tell thing wasn’t even put into place by green suiters. Personally, and I say this as a front line Infantry guy who has had to “spoon” for warmth: I don’t care what your preference is as long as you can drop a well placed, tight, three shot group into another man’s grape as needed - but I digress. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell will go the way of the dodo over time. I doubt Harvard will let recruiters back on campus, and I doubt the SF JROTC program will get re-instated when it does. This stuff’s about more than mandates, policies and conflicts.
It irks me that a program, be it religious, para-military, service oriented…whatever, get’s axed because of the misguided beliefs of a few on the school board. Especially when that program WORKS. You don’t see ex-military guys shutting down acting programs taught by effete Marxists who smoke dope and bad mouth their country, do you? And they call us the dumb ones.
I can’t fathom how this is allowed to go down, but hey…it is San Francisco.
A couple of weeks ago, they did a story on the news about this. They interviewed a bunch of the kids in the program. All of them talked about how their grades have gone up since entering the program. None of them are planning on going into the military. One of the kids in the program was gay. The only upside is that they are phasing out the program, so none of the kids currently enrolled will be kicked out, just no more can enter.
SF has some of the worst schools in the state. I’m sure this new policy will help.
To think…what if that gay kid grew up, came into a position of authority, and was able to look back on his time in JROTC as a reference point to change Army mandates. That’s how things change, not through myopic activism.
Yeah, I agree, and furthermore, if we brought back the draft, I guarantee that:
- We would have a helluva’ lot more congressional oversight over everything defense related
- There would be some ex-generals out there looking for contractor jobs, and
- We would somehow be claiming “mission accomplished” (again) in Iraq and out of there
Retired Navy O-5
.
I, too, am surprised that the JROTC program still existed in SF.
The Uber Liberals want all of the fun, with none of the pain. Selfish and self-centered.
LD
I, too, am surprised that the JROTC program still existed in SF.
The Uber Liberals want all of the fun, with none of the pain. Selfish and self-centered.
LD
Huh??? and the uber conservatives want to start all the wars, make all the profits but have other people’s kids fight them and die in them. Arrogant and greedy.
Getting back on topic.
The SF School Board is full of grandstanders and windmill tilters. Neredowells and political opportunists who will do anything to get their name in the paper so that they can run for higher office. This piece of political grandstanding is just one in a long line of assinine decisions this board has made. Our public schools are the worst in the state and this is what they spend their time working on??? harassing kids who actually take part in beneficial extra curricular activities???
Personally I disagree with the military’s stupid policy towards gays…although I notice that last week the decided that homosexuality was no longer a mental illness and it is now classified as a “condition” like bed wetting…but its not for our School Board to take up these fights, thats why we send people to Congress.
They are a bunch of buffoons who should all be tossed out of office and professional administrators brought in to take over the SF Public School System.
The SF School Board is full of grandstanders and windmill tilters.
Heh. I’ve generally felt that way about the Board of Stupidvisors as well.
The SF School Board is full of grandstanders and windmill tilters.
Heh. I’ve generally felt that way about the Board of Stupidvisors as well.
You are both correct.
And the kinds of kids who are/were in the Jr. ROTC? Maybe kids the 5 Asian American girls I saw Sunday leaving Galileo High School in uniform after a ROTC function.
clm
…full of grandstanders and windmill tilters. Neredowells and political opportunists who will do anything to get their name in the paper so that they can run for higher office. This piece of political grandstanding is just one in a long line of assinine decisions…
Are you sure you are not describing Congress???