Military Academies and Daley's False Propaganda
October 16, 2007
Mayor Daley told the "naysayers" on Monday (October 15, 2007) during the dedication ceremony for the Chicago Marine Military Academy "that this is not a recruitment effort. This is to education and give our young people bigger opportunities."
Exactly.
But this is not to say that the students at the Military Academies, such as the Rickover Academy (RNA), don't have nice resources "to education" themselves. As a teacher at Senn High School, I share the same building with the Rickover Naval Academy. As soon as the Rickover Naval Academy began occupying our school and taking over a nicely remodeled space, we quickly saw the differences in how the Chicago Board of Education would treat us: "Separate But Equal"— but not so equal.
The dilapidated science labs in the old Senn High School building were quickly remodeled for RNA, while not all science teachers in Senn have functional science labs. RNA students received all new books — and enough books for each student to have one.
Some Senn students are forced to use books so old their parents have used them, and sometimes there are not enough books for each student to get one.
If we look at the ratio of classroom space to students, it almost 2:1 in favor of more space at RNA compared to Senn.
And all of this takes place in the same building!
We do not point out disparities in resources to shame cadets in RNA or to say students should not have high quality resources. We only point out the disparities to show the unequal treatment of students. Some are "worthy" and others are not.
And we do not deny that there are well-intentioned educators or even administrators at military academies. But we must have a bigger view than simply individual teachers or students.
We must ask: why are RNA students treated better than Senn students? RNA is part of Daley's "Renaissance 2010." One hallmark of the propaganda juggernaut in favor of Ren 2010 is that Daley's new schools "perform better." While this statement in itself is problematic, it may well turn out to be true when Senn is compared to RNA. However, if one school gets preferential treatment by getting better resources, then comparing the two is unjust.
Another reason for getting better resources may be to help recruit students for the armed forces. Daley and CPS CEO Duncan tell us that the militarization of schools is not for the recruitment of youth into the military. In one breath, they will tell us that 7 percent of students in military programs enlist. In another breath, they will tell us that they do not track recruitment data. And in yet another breath they will tell us the "naysayers" give false recruitment data.
Telling us that military schools are not for recruitment flies in the face of logic and is contradicted by information on CPS's own website. According to CPS's JROTC website, "approximately 40 percent of all NJROTC program graduates enter military service."
They contradict themselves over and over.
For example, RNA students have been on a "field trip" to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Also, last year, RNA hosted Admiral Michael Mullen, who as of October 1st, 2007, is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen told the cadets that the "Navy was a great career choice." These are unequivocally recruitment tools for the Navy.
Lastly, Daley and Duncan lie more when they tell us that there is a "waiting list" to get into the military academies. At the beginning of the school year, RNA had 300 students. Their stated goal was to have 375 students. How can there be a waiting list? I challenge CPS to provide data supporting that military academies have a waiting list. Show us that parents want to put their children into military academies specifically. There are no waiting lists. They inflate their numbers and create "waiting lists" using false or misleading data.
Just another example of how we are lied to by the Daley administration and his cronies at the school board.
We must not allow Duncan and Daley to continue their false promotion of the militarization of public schools in Chicago!
Brian Roa
Senn High School, Chicago
