VFP-Santa Barbara Chapter Replaces JROTC with Peace Academy
Chapter 54 of the Veterans for Peace, in Santa Barbara, California, is proud to announce the birth of a new entity at Santa Barbara High School: the Peace Academy. The aforementioned replaces the high school's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, which was closed down due to lack of enrollment. (The counter-recruitment arm of our chapter, which educates youth on military recruiting, surely had alot to do with that!) Because the JROTC filled a need for many under-served youth in our community, a gap was created by its dissolution. Lane Anderson, well-known member of our chapter (and currently activist-in-action in Mexico and other parts south of here) came up with the idea of creating a replacement for it, and recruited the help of another well-known community activist, former city councilmember, VFP member, gang expert, artist, spiritualist, etc. etc., Babatunde Folayemi, to partner in his idea. Babatunde, with his well-rounded experience in dealing with under-served youth, decided to name the organization the Peace Academy. It consists of many local organizations and businesses that have offered to provide their services. These organizations will provide classes in mediation and conflict resolution, boxing, aikido, martial arts, sailing, fishing, outdoor activities including indigenous rites of passage ceremonies, and many more! The Santa Barbara School District Superintendent fully supports and endorses the academy. The Peace Academy will officially be part of the high school curriculum, once the school board approves it and the curriculum. What better way to fill the needs of these kids than with some wholesome, directed activities such as these! I challenge other chapters to follow our lead, and to use this model as an example of how we can replace the militarism in our society, starting with our kids, and in the school system.
Mary Johnston-de Leon
Member VFP Chapter 54
Santa Barbara, CA
