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Comment by CJ on July 19, 2011 at 6:40pm

It is no more a tax issue than any elective in school except JROTC is a business partnership where the military pays half the payroll for instructors and everything for the kids unlike all other electives. JROTC has been at Mandarin High for almost 20 years it is at the discretion of the Principal alone to cancel the program and after 20 years it is on her watch the program was canceled.  She is only angry because the military wont give in and teach non military science classes which is against the Fed Regulation 1533.9k and they are only following the law that governs all JROTC programs across the country. With everything JROTC promotes the schools and community has every to gain. Let me know how any of these things could be wrong 

Objective

* Develop informed and responsible citizens 
* Promote habits of orderliness and precision
* Develop a high degree of personal honor, self-reliance, individual discipline, and leadership
* Promote an understanding of the basic elements and need of national security
* develop respect for and an understanding of the need for authority in a democratic society
* Promote community service
* Provide incentives to live healthy and drug free
* Develop leadership potential
* Provide an alternative to gangs
* Promote high school completion
* Provide information on the military services as a possible career

* Promote patriotism

Goals
* Applying principles of leadership
* Planning and implementing unit activities
* Participating in exercises that call for orderly conduct
* Performing in a manner that displays self-confidence
* Performing with moral soundness, honesty and uprightness
* Developing a philosophy of life that respects others to include their privacy
* Being sensitive to the welfare of one's country
* Finding pleasure in individual  and group achievements 
** Students will become aware of and concerned for humanity and world affairs by relating:
* Civil defense to national security
* Problems of mankind to self
* World to domestic affairs
* Historical events to present with emphasis on sea power
** Students will recognize the value of constituted authority by:
* Observing orders of rules established by authorities.
* Accepting responsibility for their actions
 The only wrong with our school system is the leadership

 

Comment by Bob Honiker on July 19, 2011 at 6:29pm

ROTC is "education", it teaches self discipline and responsibility, and as you may have noticed these are qualities in short supply among young people today.

Comment by DURWIN WALTER DAVIS on July 19, 2011 at 6:23pm

This is a taxpayer issue.  I don't like anything "free", especially "education".  Free education has no value.  16 year olds in the eighth grade?  We provide babysitting services, statutorily.  IF the taxpayer is forced to provide a "free education", it should be for education.  Not for extra-curricular activites.  Start at 0700 and go to 1200.  Out of school.  Get a job.  Go home and clean the house for your parents.  Go to your Church, mosque, or temple.  Start a pickup game.  I'm not a "village".  I'm an abused taxpayer.  You want ROTC?  Join the military.  Deal with it.

Comment by Michelle Krise Elisano on July 18, 2011 at 10:37am

Are you flipping kidding me? This is a military town.  How about cut the many millions spent on Jacksonville Journey?  This is one thing that actually gets some of these kids "in line" so to speak.  My son is an 8th grader at one of the magnet schools where the bussing is cut.  We are now going to have to pay $125/month to get him on a private bus.  He has been dreaming of being in the military and looked forward to going to the JROTC here in Duval County.  I am truly leaning toward moving out of this county-that is how strongly I feel about some of these things our county is doing to us.  Raise my taxes back the $20 per month that Gov. Scott cut...big deal.  Now I am really and truly ticked.  I'll be at this School Board meeting for all kinds of reasons.  I can't believe I am saying this but I think we are being prejudiced against since so many white people are the one's bussed into the inner-city magnet schools (but I digress so sorry).  This leads to the "oh the Tea Partiers are racist" Really? 

Comment by CJ on July 18, 2011 at 10:01am

In all of area 12 Duval is the only school board that allows teachers to pull a program.

I say why not cut the swim team instead, its seasonal 

Comment by Bob Honiker on July 18, 2011 at 9:50am

My grandson is a "veteran" of St. Augustine High School JROTC. It was probably the most valuable part of his high school experience, it  gave him a maturity and self discipline which carried over to his academic classes. Because of JROTC he benefited much, much more from high school as a whole.

He is now in advanced training at Fort Gordon, learning academic and technical skills which he would be hard put to get elsewhere. Anyone who has ever experienced a military educational course will tell you it is serious business, you don't goof off in class and get a passing grade.

JROTC is much more than just playing soldiers. It is an investment in America's young men and women. I can think of quite a few programs which could be cut without damage to the education system.

Comment by Bill Breese on July 18, 2011 at 9:13am

The extensive cuts in the education budget from the State have impacted staffing and teaching positions drastically. While nobody wants to loose programs that are valuable, the primary function must be to provide education to all students first and foremost.

Teachers and staff have already made salary and position sacrifices, and school budgets have been cut severely. There isn't any more room to fund anything outside of direct education expenditures.

Ex-teacher.