San Francisco school board votes to dump JROTC program

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | November 15, 2006 | Jill Tucker

[L.N. Smithee]

After 90 years in San Francisco high schools, the [JROTC] must go, the S.F. school board decided Tuesday night.

The board voted 4-2 to eliminate the popular program, phasing it out over two years.

...JROTC cadets at the board meeting burst into tears or covered their faces after the votes were cast.

[snip]

Their position was summed up by a former teacher, Nancy Mancias, who said, "We need to teach a curriculum of peace.''

The board's move to dismantle the popular program was led by board members Dan Kelly and [gay] Mark Sanchez with support from Sarah Lipson and Eric Mar...against it were Jill Wynns and Norman Yee. Board member Eddie Chin was absent.

"We don't want the military ruining our civilian institutions," said Sandra Schwartz, of the American Friends Service Committee, an organization actively opposing JROTC nationwide. "In a healthy democracy ... You must contain the military."

Students, parents and school staff from each of the seven high schools converged outside the school board meeting carrying signs and waving at cars, some of which honked in support.

At least 100 cadets edged into Franklin Street waving their signs before being pushed back to the sidewalk by their ROTC instructors.

Yet, in the end, the effort -- one of several rallies in the last several weeks -- fell on deaf ears.

"This is where the kids feel safe, the one place they feel safe," Robert Powell, a JROTC instructor at Lincoln High School and a retired Army lieutenant colonel, said earlier in the evening. "You're going to take that away from them?"

Opponents acknowledged the program is popular and even helps some students stay in school and out of trouble.

[snip]

"It's basically a branding program, or a recruiting program for the military," Kelly said before the meeting.

[wodinoneeye]

Maybe we should all email this 'board' instructions on how to construct white flags and how not to piss off ruthless invaders (like when they are looting/raping/burning...).



Their winning of the 'Terrorists Nuclear Sacrificial Target City' is assured for another year.

[Neville72]

When is the "Big One" due?

[O6ret]

Easy solution: cancel Fleet Week.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"San Francisco Values in action. Have at us, O'Reilly."

They are in their own world out there. I suppose they expect the children of the rest of the country to protect them while they live in their degenerate fantasy land.

[Republic Rocker]

I hope N. Korea's nukes are aimed at this city....... shameful place.

[tommix2]

It gets results, gets kids off their rear ends and out of the house.Maybe ROTC has changed, but I don't look back on my ROTC training in the early forties as being worthwhile. I am WWII vet and pro military but I fail to see the value of three hours / week of close order drill for two years for fifteen year old boys. Close order drill was all we did for two years. We could have learned it in two weeks.

I attended my fifty year reunion at my high school some years ago and talked to some of the boys in ROTC and they were enthusiastic about it. But the ROTC training I had did not make me a better soldier at all.

[trooprally]

Description on Netscape search page " ... The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker organization ..." I couldn't stomach clicking onto it since we counter these idiots in Olney every Saturday morning.

So much for separation of Church and State.

[Mr] T

[kristinn]

Nancy Mancias is a leader in Code Pink. Chalk up another win for them.

[Jeff Head]

My Dad, God rest his soul, had a different experience. He signed up in High School after Pearl Harbor, and was happy to be in ROTC as it prepared him for his WWII service in the PTO. He always spoke highly of it and was grateful it let him get his start in defending his country.

The people in San Francisco who voted this way and talked the way they did about a "culture of peace", and the ROTC ruinging their civilian education programs are clueless as to what their freedom costs and the importance of providing such a path for those who choose to step forward and put their lives on the line so these idiots can continue to live in the dream world they have created for themselves.

If they continue on this path, they or their children or grandchildren will one day discover to their shame and horror just how critical the availability of this path is.

God have mercy on them.

[dinoparty]

Time for the MSM to step up and get Pelosi on record as either for or against the School Board action.

[gakrak]

No, but your more than happy to have the Marxist NEA dictate the indoctrination of our children. Amen.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

By all means keep Fleet Week! But . . add something.

The night of this year's Fleet Week I tuned in KGO's popular all-night talk show. The long-time host said that he didn't mind the noise of the jets, he and his friends and family could look up and see the jets pass over.. fine. But families around the world when they hear that sound it means that they are about to die. . . .

So next year, Blue Angels, please add a bombing run or two -- simulated of course.

[screaming eagle2]

Fine.And the next time San Fran's school board and city council are attacked by terrorists,let them CALL A HIPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BureaucratusMaximus]

It's one thing to have different ideals, but to use your position of power to prevent others from participating in lawful activities that subscribe to a different set of ideals than yours is the furthest thing from an "inclusive" democracy.

Great post!

[TankerKC]

Mara Kubrin, 17, of Lowell High, collected over 800 signed petitions in support of dropping the JROTC program in SF schools. Chronicle photo by Michael Macor.

JROTC will be replaced by the likes of this puke...

[mewzilla]

But SF will condone....

Meredith May, San Francisco Chronicle Reporter, Exposes Trafficking Horrors (Sex Slavery)

[mewzilla]

U.S. among top 3 destinations for sex traffickers in $8B trade (Nancy Pelosi's District)

But no JROTC!

[BulletBobCo]

OK..everyone...altogether now...

Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya

Someones singing lord, kumbaya
Someones singing lord, kumbaya
Someones singing lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbayah

Someones laughing, lord, kumbaya
Someones laughing, lord, kumbaya
Someones laughing, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya

Someones crying, lord, kumbaya
Someones crying, lord, kumbaya
Someones crying, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya

Someones praying, lord, kumbaya
Someones praying, lord, kumbaya
Someones praying, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya

Someones sleeping, lord, kumbaya
Someones sleeping, lord, kumbaya
Someones sleeping, lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya

[exhaustguy]

I think back to my friends who where in Junior ROTC and what they have accomplished with their lives now, and I shake my head in disgust at this decision. Do these idiots even understand what goes on in JROTC? It was the only course in High School that really taught leadership skills. We also really discussed the causes related to the Vietnam War (a subject that was never touched on in my so called History class).

At worst what is wrong with having a recruiting tool for the military in our schools. My experience with JROTC allowed me to understand what it really takes to be in the military. We went to Parris Island and Camp Lejeune and saw something of what recruits and Marines went through in the course of a day (the fun stuff like markmanship training and the discipline building activities like inspections, head cleaning etc). It was most definitely not presented as pie in the sky.

One of my best teachers in High School was my Major. You would not believe the reception he got when he showed up for our 20 year reunion.

Got to wonder how San Franscisco will react if they get another earthquake. Will they tell the National Guard that they are not welcome to restore order and protect citizens and property?

[Alia]

Leave My Child Alone