JROTC SAVED! May '09
Many thanks to all of you alums out
there who emailed, wrote or called the
commissioners on the San Francisco
School Board, expressing your opinion
about the JROTC program.
Through our web site and alumni paper
"The Gangplank" we have done our best to
keep you apprised of the situation. If
you recall, for the past three or more
years certain members of the School
Board have attempted to disband San
Francisco's successful JROTC program,
which has well served thousands and
thousands of students for over ninety
years. If 'they' had been successful,
the City of San Francisco would have
been the only city in the United States
to take such a move.
We are pleased to report that on Tuesday
May 12th with a four to three vote the
JROTC program was 'saved'.
Those voting to save it were: Jill Wynns,
Rachel Norton, Norm Yee and Hydra
Mendoza. Those voting to disband the
program were Kim-Shree Maufas, Jane Kim,
and Sandra Lee Fewer.
The cadets and alums and friends of the
JROTC program were jubilant...But then,
after the above vote, another motion was
brought before the school board, no
doubt by one of those who opposed the
JROTC. This motion was to fire all of
the current JROTC instructors! And it
passed five to two (with only Jill Wynns
and Rachel Norton opposing it).
Some of us say that this 'smacks' of
petty retribution.
We understand that this may have been an
illegal motion and the Union is checking
into it.
Many of us have seen the good and caring
work these instructors have done through
the years, and to fire them is not an
admirable act, in the opinion of many of
us.
We understand that in the editorial page
of today's (May 14th) Chronicle there is
an article about this, listing the
school board members. Please read this
article so you can make up your own
mind.
In the meantime, here are the names and
email addresses of the school board
members:
Kim-Shree Maufas
Kim-ShreeMaufas@sfusd.edu
Jane Kim
JaneKim@sfusd.edu
Sandra Lee Fewer
SandraFewer@sfusd.edu
Hydra Mendoza
HydraMendoza@sfusd.edu
Rachel Norton
RachelNorton@sfusd.edu
Jill Wynns
JillWynns@sfusd.edu
Norman Yee
NormanYee@sfusd.edu.
All of the above can also be reached at
555 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA
94102, or by phone 415-241-6427. We
think it would be a good idea to keep
the above information for current or
future reference or contact.
In November the electorate of San
Francisco voted to save the JROTC
program (unfortunately, it was an
unbinding resolution), which should have
had some influence on the school board.
Some of us wonder if all of them truly
think of the welfare of our students or
are they thinking of their personal
and/political future? Who knows?
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article submitted to Kip Brockman by
Emily Powell, president.
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ROTC Emergency May 2009
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Possibly the last update on JROTC MAY 2009
As you all know, unless something changes, this is the last year and last month for JROTC. In spite of the efforts of the students, parents, alumni and supporters over the past three years to reach out to the School Board we face the end JROTC at the end of this school year. In November almost 180,000 San Franciscans, nearly 56% of the vote said they want to keep JROTC as a choice for students in SFUSD. The success of Measure V in the November elections has had no effect on the current School Board.
Recently, Jill Wynns and Rachael Norton have co-sponsored a resolution to reinstate the JROTC program for next year. This resolution has gathered some traction with the current School Board. Jill Wynns, Rachel Norton and Hydra Mendoza support this effort; Sandra Fewer remains committed against; with Kim-Shree Mafus and Jane Kim against but they maybe reachable. This leaves Norman Yee as the critical and uncommitted voter. The vote on this resolution, probably the last and final vote on JROTC, is scheduled for May 12th in the School Board Room, 555 Franklin at 6PM.
Once again, we need your help at the Board meeting and with the board members. Please take the time to email, call or write the School Board members and express your support for this resolution. Additionally, please come to the Board meeting on the 12th; show your solidarity with the students, teachers, parents and supporters.
Regardless of the outcome on the 12th, Beau and I, both appreciate the support you have shown us and our students throughout this long and grueling ordeal.
Gerry ----- Original Message ----- From: Emilybalboa@aol.com To: gparator@comcast.net Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 1:45:26 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: Re: SFUSD School Board meeting and JROTC Good morning, Gerry: Thanks for the update. I have personally emailed (on behalf of myself and the Board of Directors) strong messages of support of the JROTC to each school board member.. So far, Rachel Norton responded affirmatively, Norm Yee said he will study the resolution, and Kim-Shree just acknowledged and thanked me for my message. The Gangplank was mailed last week with our plea for support , and our website balbucs.net also has one or two messages. The new website is a fast and efficient way of reaching many of our members (not all). Kip Brockman is doing a great job. I gave him another pro JROTC article last week. So., feel free to contact him at brockmankip@comcast.net, I will not be at the School Board meeting tonight. I have had to limit my night-time travels. I/we do not want to lose our JROTC program, nor do we want to lose you and Beau. With love and loyalty, Emily **************
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Balboa S.F. JROTC Program Update 9 March 2009
From:
"BALBOA
SFUSD" <jrotc430078@yahoo.com>
To:
balboa-sf@yahoogroups.com
It seem like a long time since I last provided an update, so here is the current status of JROTC. Measure V, a non binding resolution of support for JROTC by the citizens of San Francisco, was passed in November 2008. Across San Francisco nearly 180,000 San Franciscans came together and voted to keep JROTC as a choice for our students. The school board’s indifference to this voter mandate and lack of action, prompted State Assembly woman Fiona Ma to draft legislation to put JROTC back into San Francisco schools. Recently, Commissioners Wynns and Norton cosponsored a resolution to reinstate JROTC (attached), which was scheduled to be placed before the School Board at the 10 March 2009 board meeting. But, and there always is one in SF politics, through administrative slight of hand the Board President Kim-Shree Maufas has delayed the initial reading until the meeting on 24 March 2009. I can only guess that she hopes to delay action on the resolution and allow the JROTC program to slowly slip away . The board’s action to eliminate JROTC in 2006 energized the students, parents and supporters of JROTC to get involved in democracy in a real and meaningful way. They invested thousands of hours walking precincts talking to voters and drumming up support for Measure V. Daily, my students ask me, “What happened to Democracy in San Francisco?” “How can elected officials dis the will of the voters?” “What kind of example is the School Board setting for me?” With the budget shortages projected in the coming years the impact of eliminating JROTC will be shared by more that just the JROTC teachers. SFUSD, as well as many of the largest districts in the State, have a long history of using JROTC as an alternative means to support the State’s PE graduation requirement. JROTC is centrally funded, is in the seven largest high schools and supports over 70% of the high school population. The loss of JROTC, the central funding and the long established use as an alternative PE class will force school sites to further down size (more positions lost and larger classes) as they wrestle with a reduced budget and an increased program requirement. What can you do? Call, write or email the School Board and let them know you support keeping JROTC. You can access individual board member at this site http://portal. sfusd.edu/ template/ default.cfm? page=board Thanks Gerry, Beau and the JROTC students |
San Francisco's
Balboa
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Dear Balboa Graduates, 2009 Note from Alumni President:Senator Ma has come out to save it. It is due for closure at the end of this term. I would like everyone to write (or email) to all members of the San Francisco School Board, 555 Franklin Street, San Francisco -- asking them to reverse the decision of the former board, and keep San Francisco JROTC going, with students getting P.E. credit for it, and being able to have a class period. This will save money for our stricken District, since the JROTC does get a subsidy from the Department of Defense. Otherwise, these students will be forced to take P.E. and the District will have to hire more gym teachers. Our cadets are not encouraged to enter the armed services, in fact if one announces he may do that, our instructors (Sgt. Major Beau Conley and Major Gerry Paratore), sit down and discuss the pros and cons. (I don't believe students get that from a P.E instructor). JROTC is open to all serious students. |
| VOLUME 40, ISSUE 2 PAGE 15 JROTC TESTIMONY by Lynn G. Anderson, Balboa Class of 1972 While at Balboa High School, Class of 1972, I was a JROTC Cadet all three years. My instructor was Sergeant James Carter. Carter who was very interested in my desire to start a military career and at the time of my graduation from Balboa, he suggested I join the Army. For a young African- American male there were not many opportunities right out of high school except Muni and or maybe city work if you were lucky! At that time Vietnam was still going on and the war was making a turn for the worse. The Army had a two year enlistment program that said you would serve two years in Germany to reinforce the East and West German wall. Due to the U.S.A.'s commitment to Vietnam our military forces were at full capacity. The Pentagon was afraid that the Russians were going to use the window of opportunity to come over the wall and invade West Germany. By this time, I had already made up my mind on a military career due to Sergeant Carter, and my two older brothers who made careers in the Army and Air Force. The JROTC just fueled my desire and commitment to that end. It gave me the foundation and discipline and sense of leadership to stand out amongst my peers, and I did to say the least. I was always proud to wear the JROTC uniform at school every Wednesday and represent the Corps and my school. While at Bal I was a Platoon Leader, Company Commander Drum and Bugle Corps Commander. I gained a sense of confidence that I would not have had otherwise if it was not for the JROTC. After returning home from Germany in 1974, I was working for UCSF where I am working today. I took into account the difference in opportunity in the military lifestyle and civilian life, I opted to return to the military as a Marine for the next 20 years, retiring with the rank of Staff Sgt. During my journey in the Marines I experienced and visited many nations and I was able to see and made contact with many cultures daily. I was in charge of large groups of men and women. I represented the Corps in many public and private settings and I stood out as a professional in uniform. I look upon those years today with warm memories and long lasting friendships that you would not find today in civilian life. A band of brothers, Simper Fi (Always Faithful). Today I honor the brave young men and women that came after me and recognize their commitment to our nation and its security, which is taken for granted all too often. This country was and is based on this type of commitment and selfless service to a calling bigger than one self. I feel that the JROTC fosters these traditions and other values. The JROTC instills leadership and an opportunity to those that may not be given the chance otherwise. The future is in our leaders, and JROTC MEETS THOSE COMMITMENTS. |
1972
From 1975 Galleon
