Florin High School Parents, Students Protest JROTC Cut

Chanting and waving signs, parents and students demonstrated in front of Florin High School today in an effort to save its JROTC program from the U.S. Navy’s budgetary axe.

Navy officials decided to shut down 29 Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps programs nationwide by June 30 to save money.

 “In education we’re looking for ways to hook kids into school, get them motivated and prepared for life after school either for college or a career,” Principal Don Ross said. “This program has a proven track record of doing that.

“It would be a big shame if it were cut.”

Lt. Charity Hardison, public affairs officer for the Naval Service Training Command, said the decision to close Florin’s JROTC program was made after a careful review of the 2010 enrollment.

“The Navy’s decision … was a difficult one,” Hardison said in an email. “In this era of budgetary constraints, the Navy has had to make difficult choices concerning unit closures, striving to preserve those units that appear most viable.”

The Navy spends an average of $100,000 a year to run a JROTC program, according to Hardison.

In addition to Florin, other California schools slated to lose their JROTC programs include Eureka High School, Alvarez High School in Salinas, Pasadena High School and Stockton’s Lincoln High School.

Florin’s JROTC Boosters Club and other supporters are fighting the closure, however, citing a federal law that requires equitable distribution of JROTC programs throughout the United States and in economically deprived areas.

Although California has the largest population of any state in the country, there are currently only 59 Navy JROTC programs, including the five slated to be axed this year, according to Florin’s JROTC Commander Tom Jones.

Texas, in comparison, has 70 Navy JROTC programs, he said.

“We have 12 million more residents in the state of California,” Jones said. “… California is paying more than its fair share of tax dollars, but we don’t have the units other states have.

“... California tax dollars are getting sent someplace else to help their kids, but what about our kids?”

The Navy requires a minimum enrollment of 100 students for its JROTC programs.  Units that failed to meet that requirement were selected for closure, Hardison said.

Florin’s JROTC enrollment dropped to 74 students in October, 2010, according to Hardison,

This year, however, 105 students are enrolled in Florin’s JROTC.

Eric Carroll, a 16-year-old junior at Florin, said he joined JROTC three years ago because his mother thought he could use the discipline.

“It kept me off the streets and out of trouble,” Carroll said, adding that field trips and community service kept him busy. “It gave me something to do and gave me other people to turn to for support, like the commander and other cadets.”

Florin’s JROTC program helped senior Fineasi Polaulu win a scholarship to Norfolk State University in Virginia next year.

“Joining ROTC was a term of my probation,” said the 18-year-old Polaulu, who plans to study linguistics. “I got into a lot of trouble as a freshman and my probation officer thought it would straighten me out, and it did.”

The popular program has been at the school for about 12 years, Ross said.

“We have several academies or special programs on campus and ROTC is one of our top ones,” Ross said, adding that JROTC students participate in several community events throughout the year such as parades and Veterans’ Day celebrations.

“One of the things you recognize about Florin High School is its ROTC program ... It’s cherished here,” he said.

Students enrolled in JROTC learn everything from land navigation to first aid.

“The best thing we do is fantastic citizenship development,” said Jones. “The kids who get through this program are good, solid citizens.”

Jones said JROTC is not a recruiting program. Only an average of three kids per graduating class join the military each year, he said.

“It’s a program that is saving kids,” Jones said. “It’s a safe haven for a lot of these kids. It’s a home away from home. A lot of them have very complicated lives that most people just don’t understand, and ROTC gives them a safe place to come after school to be around good, positive kids.”

Elk Grove parent Kim Moua left work early to demonstrate in support of Florin’s JROTC program. Her son, 14-year-old freshman Jimmy Lee, has been reminding her about the protest for weeks.

“He’s been pushing me every day,” Moua said. “ROTC has really changed him. He’s more open and more helpful. He’s more responsible, now.”

This is the second year in a row the Navy has shut down JROTC programs, Hardison said. Last year, 19 units that didn’t meet minimum enrollment numbers were closed.

JROTC Boosters Club leaders say they are planning future demonstrations in support of the Florin program.