(Photo: Mission Bay High School students protest the school’s Marine Core Junior ROTC program. Ana Tintocalis/KPBS )
About 20 Mission Bay High School students walked out of school today to protest a Junior ROTC program on campus. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
The students say Mission Bay High School administrators are doing away with college prep programs in favor of a new Marine Junior ROTC program. Some say they're being placed into the ROTC program without being asked or without their parents permission. Senior Karen Figueroa believes she and other Latino students are being tracked into these courses.
Figueroa: I was in ROTC -- they put me in there not by choice, and I think it’s not fair for teachers or administration to put students in classes they don't need for college. Because what is ROTC going to do for me when I go to college?
School officials say they are not tracking students into Junior ROTC. They stand by the program, saying it's an excellent way for students to learn important leadership and life skills.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
