Parents, cadets outraged at cutting JROTC

Published 2:15 am Thursday, May 13, 2010

More than 50 parents, students and citizens concerned about Murray County Schools cutting the JROTC program have signed a petition hoping to get it back.

Those signatures have been collected just since the Murray Board of Education approved cutting the 33-year-old program from Murray County High School on Tuesday. JROTC supporters rallied at the Senior Center in Chatsworth Wednesday afternoon to support the program, and they’re planning to send their petition to the state Department of Education.

Board of Education members approved cutting JROTC during a called meeting on Tuesday as part of a list of $4 million in cuts for next year’s budget. They said cutting JROTC would save $124,000, a number which several supporters dispute.

All except board member Liz Gould — who was out of town because of a prior commitment — voted to approve the cuts. Gould said she would have preferred the board look at trimming from areas that don’t directly affect the classroom.

“I have a hard time cutting programs that impact students when we have some other programs that have no contact with students that could be looked at seriously, for example the enrollment center,” Gould said. “That doesn’t impact students positively or negatively.”

Cadet Matt Gainey said he was prepared to perform his Eagle Scout project at North Murray High School until the JROTC program he had intended for it to benefit was slashed. Gainey said school administrators led him to believe JROTC would continue into the following year at Murray County High School. North Murray, which has been temporarily located across the street from MCHS this year, has never had a JROTC program. Gainey’s project was going to be a set of training stations for physical education students and JROTC cadets to use.

The board on Monday heard from parents and students who wanted to keep the program, but did not allow anyone from the public to speak before board members voted on the proposal at their Tuesday meeting. Tuesday was the first time the full list of cuts had been made public.

Asked about the decision after the board meeting on Tuesday, Superintendent Vickie Reed said administrators considered several options before making the recommendation. Her first thought, she said, was asking the two Army instructors who are paid to run the program to accept a pay cut. Their salaries, however, must not fall below the required state minimum for their level of education and years of experience.

Reed said she also considered running the program with only one instructor, but Army regulations require at least two on site.

“I would have loved to have kept the JROTC program for our kids,” Reed said. “But something’s got to go. Where do you cut?”

Several parents and students disputed the school system’s budget for JROTC, saying most of the cost is covered by the Army. According to the budget school administrators provided, the total contracted salary expense for JROTC is $168,729 with the Army paying $51,048 of that amount. Reed said the school system also supplies $5,900 for various expenses.

Pat Gainey, a JROTC instructor who attended the Tuesday meeting, declined an interview.

Brittney Doubet, a former cadet who graduated from Murray County High in 2008, was upset the program was cut. The first year she enrolled she was upset because she didn’t want to wear “those horrible uniforms,” but by the end of the first semester she had learned to take pride in the uniform, her appearance, and the whole way of JROTC life.

“It kept me out of a lot of trouble,” she said. “I think that goes for a lot of people in Murray County.”

MCHS Principal Gina Linder said the program is the least requested of any offering at the school with only 94 students requesting to participate in JROTC this fall. At North Murray, 70 students requested to be involved in the program, Principal Maria Bradley said.

Several parents said the program has been a lifesaver for children who are misfits, prone to misbehavior or who are going through hard times.

Parent David Elder Sr. said his son, now 17, lost his mother three years ago. JROTC was the one thing that helped him work through that difficult period, he said.

“My son depends on this,” Elder said. “It’s more than just a program.”