Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell says he thinks we have to have a system where everyone out of high school has to serve two years in the military, or in AmeriCorps or Peace Corps
Governor sees important future for Scotland School
By Akilah Imani Nelson
Staff writer
While touring Scotland School for Veterans’ Children on Monday afternoon, Gov. Ed Rendell said he had a vision of the future.
At the end of his tour of the school, which is funded mostly by the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, Rendell said military institutions like Scotland School will become more important as military service becomes less popular.
“Three years from now, or maybe four or five, this nation is going to have a crisis — we won’t have enough young people going into the military,” Rendell said as he emerged from one of the cottages where the school’s young students live.
“I think we’re going to have to go back to the draft. I think we have to have a system where everyone out of high school has to serve two years in the military, or in AmeriCorps or Peace Corps. Everyone serves whether they’re rich or poor or male or female. The country would be so much better if everyone served and had that perspective.”
Every student at Scotland School participates in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp. Several graduates each year join a military branch. The rest go on to college.
Led by Scotland School seniors Candace Williams and John Howie, Rendell visited several classes on a tight schedule. He briefly discussed African-American leaders with a fifth-grade class, the importance of technology with sixth-graders in a computer lab and math with some seventh-grade students.
After commending the students on their academic and athletic accomplishments, Rendell commended the Foundation for Scotland School for Veterans’ Children on its ambitious $2.1 million fund-raising campaign. Then he offered to help.
“Give me that capital wish list,” Rendell said. “I’ve got some ideas about some more private funding.”
