Should Military Tax Dollars Be Spent On Education?

Concerns growing as Navy increases presence on high school campuses
By Agence France-Presse

"Martinez, 16, attends Rickover Naval Academy, a public high school in Chicago whose 508 students wear uniforms and take classes in military history and naval science taught by retired naval officers...

...The Navy announced plans in 2011 to nearly double its budget for supporting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to more than $100 million a year by 2015."

COMMENTARYThe issue I have isn't about the military presence in schools. No one is forcing these kids to sign up and it does give poor kids an opportunity after graduation. The issue I have is the federal government through Congress and the U.S. Department of Education already determined what should be spent on public education. In my opinion the Navy should focus on doing the things the Navy is supposed to do. When it was created, funding public education wasn't one of them.

Also at play here is the question of whether they are getting the best recruits. No offense to disadvantaged street kids in Chicago and other cities, but face it. This is a recruitment effort based on youth so desperate for a job after graduation many will readily sign up. Not because they want to, but out of an act of desperation. I'd rather not draw naval crews from desperate cities in-so-much that poverty becomes a recruitment tool to be used in poor neighborhoods.

When Congress sets out to come up with a budget for the military I doubt whether they intend for taxpayer dollars be used for anything outside of defense. If congress so wish they can appropriate funds to the U.S. Department of Education specifically targeted for this purpose. When the Pentagon starts to get involved with public education they've exceeded their mission.

As far as I understood things the Navy already has specifically designed training centers just as does the Army, Marines, Air Force and so forth. If our military can't find qualified graduates the problem isn't the responsibility of the military to educate. If this be the case we have a far larger problem then our armed services can solve.

I'd rather see this $100 million per year spent on training these crews once they sign up. Buying uniforms and teaching kids in H.S. naval history, etc. is wasteful. If these 508 students in Chicago want that, the enticement should be to sign up and they will get that. If they won't then this is nothing but a waste of time and money since they aren't interested in joining anyway. Is that so hard to understand?

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