USF Rapes Don't Bode Well for JROTC Bill
State Assemblywoman Fiona Ma will have a tough time spinning ROTC rape accusations.
By JACKSON WEST
Updated 7:00 AM PST, Tue, Feb 17, 2009
A member of the Reserve Officer's Training Corps at the University of San Francisco was recently arrested, accused of raping four of his female fellow students on campus.
Undergraduate Ryan Caskey is alleged to have assaulted four women across campus in a few months.
A top performer in the university's officer training program, Caskey told the program's Dons Saber newsletter in 2006 "I wish everyone a safe and enjoyable winter break, and hope that everyone returns, motivated and ready to go next semester."
Regardless of whether the accusations against the young student prove true, it can't help the case of assemblywoman Fiona Ma's crusade to restore the junior ROTC program to San Francisco schools.
San Francisco voters chose to end the public school district's involvement in JROTC programs for students. June will mark the end of the last class allowed to participate.
Ma's bill seeks to re-introduce officer training to high schoolers by allowing participation to be counted toward physical education requirements.
The news of a ROTC participant facing allegations of rape, while it shouldn't color the judgment of character of his colleagues, might be enough to sink any political will in support of the program for minors.
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Feb 17, 2009 3:02 AM PST
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