Hey, Duluth School board:
Don’t sacrifice education for the Pentagon!
Did you know... that since 1996, the Duluth school district has been paying for the Department of Defense to recruit its students? At a cost of $170K/year, the district sponsors the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), a DoD-operated class in which students wear military uniforms, practice military drills, and learn that true citizenship means following orders.
The good news is that Duluth students aren't interested in JROTC. The class can't even meet half of its expected enrollment. In the face of a huge budget deficit, school administrators recently recommended that JROTC be closed. The school board agreed.
The bad news: In a surprise March 17 vote, the board unanimously reversed its decision. But in order to spare JROTC, they'll have to cut $170,000 from somewhere else. Since the district has already cut all of its unnecessary programs, this could lead to teachers losing their jobs and class sizes going up!
Take action! Call or write members of the school board and administration today! Remind them that JROTC is controversial in the community and unpopular among students, and it should not be spared at the price of real education!
Duluth School Board:
-Mary Cameron (At Large): mary.cameron@duluth.k12.mn.us; 341-8893
-Laura Condon (District 4): laura.condon@duluth.k12.mn.us; 624-7045
-Gary Glass (At Large): gary.glass@duluth.k12.mn.us; 525-2384
-Tim Grover (District 3): tim.grover@duluth.k12.mn.us; 722-5961
-Nancy Nilsen (At Large): nancy.nilsen@duluth.k12.mn.us; 628-2125
-Judy Seliga Punyko (District 2): Judy.SeligaPunyko@duluth.k12.mn.us; 525-4688
-Ann Wasson (District 1): ann.wasson@duluth.k12.mn.us; 728-1931
-Assistant Superintendent Joe Hill: joe.hill@duluth.k12.mn.us; 336-8739
For more info or to get involved in the campaign against JROTC, contact the Northland Anti-War Coalition, or more specifically its Truth in Recruiting Committee at truthinrecruiting(at)riseup(dot)net or 218-340-4356 [ask for Joel].
3 comments:
Reposted due to spelling errors:
As an NJROTC Naval Science 1 Cadet, I have to say; this is completely ridiculous. I have been reading this blog for about a week now, and I have to say, you are(as far as I can see)completely un-dedicated compared to the people of NJROTC.
I went to the School Board meeting in which they decided not to cut it, along with around half a dozen other cadets, and they got up and spoke. I didn't see -ANY- of you so called "true patriots" saying anything, and I doubt you were even there.
I heard that you marched on the 21st and talked about us a bit... now, no offense, but why would you march -after- the best opportunity to voice your opinion had passed? Hm. Just wanted to point those facts out... now...
I am proud to be a part of NJROTC, and we are not meeting our Enrollment requirements for a simple reason; there is not enough publicity. I didn't know we even had an NJROTC program until I found out one of my brothers friends was in it.
Most of my friends didn't know there was an NJROTC program either, and several expressed how if they had known about it they would have joined.
Also, NJROTC cadets are alot more polite and respectful then other students, and I have to say, you people going around saying "NO YOU CAN'T DO THAT, YOU CAN'T PREPARE THEM FOR THE CAREER THEY WANT" is completely foolish.
You might as well be going around saying, "No, you can't teach them to cook! You can't teach them to work on cars!", because they are doing the exact same thing NJROTC is doing. Building your interest in a subject and preparing you for a future career in it.
And furthermore, they don't even "recruit". They talk about the benefits of joining the military after NJROTC for all in all... an hour, the entire year.
And, by the way, the benefits are fantastic. The instructor is allowed to make recommendations to Annapolis(which are required to even apply, and are VERY hard to get without being in NJROTC), thus, giving you a chance to get a great education.
NJROTC has inspired me alot this year. When I joined, at the beginning of the year, I was a completely lazy freshman, and I still am pretty lazy. However, I am getting better, and I know its due to NJROTC. Its hard to explain.
All in all, I can't believe you would ever want to cut this program. We help the community in TONS of ways. Server food at the VFW, do Highway clean ups and volunteer work... honestly, if you want to cut this program, it only shows how selfish and oppressive you are.
Also, about the "50% join the Military" thing... wow. Of course thats true. If you wanted to join the Military, why wouldn't you go to a program that helped you succeed in it? I knew I wanted to be in the Military -LONG- before I ever heard of NJROTC, and you claiming that NJROTC makes kids want to, is completely stupid.
Alright, thats all I had to say. I'm sorry if its a bit unreadable, I threw it together in a matter of five minutes. I could have written more about this for hours.
Your passion is misguided and unconstitutional. The JROTC community isn't the military forcing its way into a community, but a reflection of the civilian leadership over the military. Your anti-war posture follows many liberal talking points that fail to recognize the military doesn't do anything (recruit, fight, train, educate in high school) unless under the provision of public law written by your favorite politicians. It's too bad your rhetoric seeks to eliminate an opportunity from a minority of students to satisfy your anti-Bush anti-Republican rage. Shame on you. Why do pluralists like you love freedom of expression and religion, but hate diversity of education. I may have similary issues with the present fighting in the middle east, but it has nothing to do with JROTC. Should we eliminate the police force too. Would you be against a militia forming in the high schools too. You probably burn books.
Anti- War you guys have got to be kidding you guys think peace is going to happen with the people we are fighting! What you think we are going to sit in a circle and sing Kumbaya!! They want us all dead because we are infidels in their religion.I was in ROTC in High school,and it helped me get through the real training I'm to old now to fight now but My son is ready to go into the military and fight for his Country (and the right for you guys to say the crap you are talking about in this blog.)and yes die if that is what it takes to keep us FREE! My boy knows people die in WAR and there is no reset button in real life and it is not a X-BOX game. He wants to join Duluth schools NJROTC So how dare you try to cheat him out of something that could help him save his life. This is not the 60's That Generation screwed this country up. Boys and Girls we are fighting for our way of life in this War. Grow up peace is a great thing but it takes two to make peace!!!!! They don't want it! This war we are in know is not going to end unless we kill all the radicals, and that is what they Believe they have to do to us kill us or Convert us. NJROTC should stay in Duluth if the kids want to join let them just back the hell off.
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