Military-backed public schools on the rise in US

[babylonsister]

Military-backed public schools on the rise in US

By DORIE TURNER – 2 days ago


ATLANTA (AP) — The U.S. Marine Corps is wooing public school districts across the country, expanding a network of military academies that has grown steadily despite criticism that it's a recruiting ploy.

The Marines are talking with at least six districts — including in suburban Atlanta, New Orleans and Las Vegas — about opening schools where every student wears a uniform, participates in Junior ROTC and takes military classes, said Bill McHenry, who runs the Junior ROTC program for the Marines.

Those schools would be on top of more than a dozen public military academies that have already opened nationwide, a trend that's picking up speed as the U.S. Department of Defense looks for ways to increase the number of units in Junior ROTC, which stands for Reserve Officers Training Corps.

"Many kids in our country don't get a fair shake. Many kids live in war zones. Many kids who are bright and have so much potential and so much to offer, all they need to be given is a chance," McHenry said. "If you look at stats, what we're doing now isn't working."

Last year, Congress passed a defense policy bill that included a call for increasing the number of Junior ROTC units across the country from 3,400 to 3,700 in the next 11 years, an effort that will cost about $170 million, Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen M. Lainez said. The process will go faster by opening military academies, which count as four or more units, McHenry said.

Other military branches also are aiming to increase their presence in school hallways, but the Marines are leading the charge.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jvAebx483rSYOZNjhJtQ-tGKLY9gD98JQ5J01

[wuvuj]

1. Well...if we are EVER going to....

...just take over the world....we will need a bigger military. Mostly cop shows on the TV....secret rats sneaking around everywhere you look...what's not to like? :applause:

[Trajan]

2. My son participated in the Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge Program

He was failing High school and badly needed a new direction : I am glad to say he succeeded in turning around his
academic achievement and graduated from the High School program ....

This had nothing to do with the ROTC, and they did offer recruitment 'opportunities', which a percentage of the
students joined ... but the numbers were rather low, and there was no coercion to join up ...

All in all - It was a good experience for him and the other Cadets ...

[BlooInBloo]

3. NOOOOOO!

[msongs]

4. then they indoctrinate the kids as onward christian soldiers, swearing allegience to the bible nt

[ColbertWatcher]

5. Do they kick out the gay students? n/t

[katandmoon]

6. Cannon fodder!

[conspirator]

7. The empire needs it. "Human beings are no longer born. They are grown" nt

[arcadian]

8. Ahhhh... wake up and smell the fascism

[aikoaiko]

9. sad to say that I would seriously consider a military public school over most of the regular ones

in my school district.

[votingupstart]

10. duplicate?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5795318&mesg_id=5795318