Hollister
– Navy Junior ROTC cadets in dress uniform and their parents,
many sporting
”
Help Keep It Going!
”
ROTC sweatshirts in ‘Baler red, filled the San Benito High
School Board meeting room ,some streaming out into the hallways
Thursday night in a last-ditch effort to save the program from the
chopping block.
Hollister – Navy Junior ROTC cadets in dress uniform and their parents, many sporting “Help Keep It Going!” ROTC sweatshirts in ‘Baler red, filled the San Benito High School Board meeting room ,some streaming out into the hallways Thursday night in a last-ditch effort to save the program from the chopping block.
In the hot and cramped quarters, what was to be a 15-minute report to trustees lasted an hour and a half as students and parents presented their emotionally charged case in defense of the NJROTC, promising to raise funds and increase enrollment if the program were continued for at least one more year.
“Kids getting arrested today are younger and younger,” said Patrick Gordillo, who identified himself as working for the San Benito County Jail. “You people know that. This program is something that can prevent that.”
The NJROTC is a program sponsored by the Navy. It’s designed to impart the values of patriotism and good citizenship upon students, encourage them to finish high school, seek a college education and stay away from gang activity. While it does provide information to students considering a career in the Navy, and students who enlist with an NJROTC background have a few advantages over other sailors, finding recruits is not the main goal of the program.
SBHS’ program has been on “probation” since November 2005 as enrollment has never topped 100 students, the Navy’s minimum requirement. Ideally, said SBHS Superintendent Jean Burns, the program would involve around 10 percent of the student body, or 265 students at the low end. Both NJROTC instructors resigned at the end of the school year and school officials determined that the cost of staffing – $160,000 in salary and benefits, only $50,000 of which is reimbursed through the Navy – did not justify continuing a program when class sizes averaged nine or 10 students each period.
“We love and value this program,” said SBHS Superintendent Jean Burns Slater after an hour of public comment. “These students know that because they’ve seen me out there at their activities. … But we have to ask, is this the right program for San Benito High School, even if it certainly is for these students?”
Parents repeatedly stressed how beneficial the structure and discipline their children received from the program was, and many thought their children might have had a much tougher time at school without the built-in peer group the NJROTC provides.
“How many of you have served? How many of you are veterans?” said Tim Smith, pounding his fist on the podium. “Then you are unqualified to make this decision. … Not only should you support these students, you owe them a debt of gratitude. They represent all that is good about America.”
Director of Finance and Operations Jim Koenig later revealed that he had, in fact, served in the U.S. military for a number of years.
“I’ve had to go to generals and admirals for decisions, and what they always do is weigh the costs and the benefits,” he said. “And they make the decision that is best for the entire organization.”
Even after reviewing handouts detailing the cost of operating the NJROTC program, parents were confident that given the chance, they and the cadets could raise sufficient funds to keep the program alive and increase enrollment.
“One thing that I’m not hearing is that fact that we have a parent booster’s club,” Catherine Farnham said. “And every time we’ve had a financial challenge, we’ve met it. It’s possible, but we need information.”
Gwenyth Morehouse, whose son Mitchell is currently in Hawaii for leadership training with other ROTC students, said organizations that had benefited from NJROTC students’ help in the past would work to save the program.
“This unit has done so much for the community. I believe we need to give a chance to the community to give back,” she said. “If we work together and are resourceful and creative, we can make it work.”
For their part, trustees seemed receptive to alternate routes of funding the ROTC, and Board President Jan Joseph took care to remind students and parents that the program had not yet been officially canceled. Slater shared that at a previous school district she had worked for, a group of dedicated parents had raised funds to hire a Mandarin Chinese language instructor after the class was canceled, because they believed so strongly in the value of the program.
Many parents also reported that their students had not been scheduled into ROTC classes, and suspected that enrollment may well have topped 100 students this fall but that computer errors would show otherwise. Slater said she would investigate the matter further.
Because it was a discussion item, the board did not take any action one way or the other regarding the matter. Trustees did request, however, that it be brought back for further discussion during their Aug. 3 meeting.
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected].
