Valley View School Board Voted to Cut Romeoville High School MCJROTC Program: Staff Member

Valley View School District 365U's school board recently voted to end Romeoville High School's longtime MCROTC program, according to a Valley View staff member. 

Marine Corp officials who oversee the program were informed of the vote within the past month, according to Rachele Miller, an instructor of the program for more than two years. She was informed of the vote June 5. 

Such a vote was not included on the Valley View school board agendas for any of the three May meetings. No word of the vote was uttered at the May 28 meeting. Superintendent James Mitchem and Board Member Rick Gougis voted to keep the program at RHS, according to Miller.
 
Attention was drawn to the issue when Valley View staff members were told to box up MCJROTC materials to be sent back to a Marine Corps base on the last day of school, June 5. 

RHS Principal Derek Kinder has scheduled a town hall meeting Monday night to discuss the future of the program. The meeting is open to the public and will be held in the RHS auditorium. 

That meeting will "discuss the Marine Corps JROTC program at RHS...and the school's continued support to maintain a strong and successful program in accordance with the United States Marine Corps regulations," according to the Valley View website.

As of 3 p.m. Monday, 500 people had signed a petition asking Valley View to keep the program. 

Jonathan Gomez posted this comment with his petition signature: 

"The MCJROTC program changed my life and made me become a better person. I am on the Drill Team and it was fun, and I want to do it for 3 more years. And without this program I cant do that. I also wanted to try Air Rifle. MCJROTC is one reason why I come to school. It teaches me about the Marines, and helps me when I actually join the Marine Corps. I want to experience more then one year In the program. So please keep the MCJROTC program at RHS."

The MCROTC program employed two instructors: Miller and Major (Ret.) Mark Placey, who joined RHS in the fall as ROTC unit commander. Before news of the program's end, Placey had resigned and accepted another job. Miller's position was cut as part of the 2013 reduction in force. 

"This program has been a source of pride and distinction for the village since 1973 and has produced some of the finest young Americans out there in today's society," Miller wrote. "What does this mean to RHS and Romeoville in general?"

Valley View only pays for half of her salary, Miller said. The Department of Defense covers the rest. Bolingbrook has an Air Force program with three instructors in place and an enrollment base only slightly larger than that of RHS, according to Miller. 

RHS Senior Daniel Quan learned he had earned a highly-competitive, full four-year Navy ROTC scholarship to the University of Nebraska worth $180,000. 

Stay with Patch for more details on this developing story.