Coatesville district’s lack of funding causes Air Force to withdraw support
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
CALN – Coatesville Area High School’s Air Force Junior ROTC program will be cancelled for the 2013-2014 school year.
The Air Force decided to cancel the program at the school because the school district could not commit to a two-year position for the instructors.
The decision comes after the district said earlier this summer that the ROTC would have to find its own funding for the second year in a row. While the school board showed support for the program, they could not find room in the budget for expenses.
The Friends of PA-771, a parent-run organization created raise funds, said that they will look to implement an ROTC club for the coming year, but it will not have the same field trip opportunities or curriculum as the fully-funded program.
“They’re [the students] very sad, and some of them are not optimistic that we’ll be able to do it, but I’ve always said failure’s not an option,” said Friends of PA-771 President Safiya Edwards.
Edwards also said that they will try to get the program reinstated for the 2014-2015 school year. The Air Force said that they are willing to waive the mandatory 5-year waiting period that most closed programs have to go through.
“We’re going to talk to the school board and try to get it in the budget, but we’re also going to try to raise sufficient funds to instill a grant,” said Edwards.
The ROTC has provided multiple services for the community and school district, such as participating in Back to School Night and DARE presentations.
Superintendent Richard Como and School Board President J. Neil Campbell declined comment.
Well, the funds likely WILL be put to good use (and already have through through fewer reductions elsewhere). There are about 6,950 other students in the district. This was a very worthwhile program, but so are many many others too. Some of the items the previous “parent” mentioned don’t come from the operating budget anyway so he or she must be just venting because it had no effect on this issue. There are over 100 fewer teachers, administrators and support staff since two years ago – at some point in time ROTC had to come into the picture. With constant reassesments due to the economy (and rightly so by the way), many districts are facing funding shortfalls. Assessments decreasing + limits on the rate = flat revenue as costs go up.
Well at least the funds went to good use. We got a new sand pit practice field , new coaches vans a playground with the mon y saved. Good job school board we really saved the tax payers.
I read this with much sadness, having been with the AFJROTC program at its beginning in the 1977-78 school year. AFJROTC instilled self-confidence, discipline and provided economically disadvantaged students like me with opportunities not realized in other typical High School programs.
Through AFJROTC, I was able to enter the United States Air Force at an advanced grade and compete for promotion much sooner than my peers. This in-turn, provided valuable education and training which opened doors for employment within the wireless engineering field. But perhaps most importantly, The program taught young people like me to prusue excellence and integrity, something rarely seen in an environment that is increasingly values-neutral.
This decision should be rethought and rescinded.
Andrew Terry
Cadet Captain
Deputy Commander, PA-771 (1979-1980)