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Marine Military Academy

Marine Military Academy review: prepare students for the army 27

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Every year Marine Military Academy at 145 South Campbell Avenue gets worse. The students are fighting. The older kids are picking on the younger ones. Students also bring contrabands: fireworks; knives; guns. Many students are expelled from the school during the entire year because the teachers and the administration are Not able to instill positive character development. Students are not challenged. The classwork is minimized with 50 percent. Students are not getting any homework, which doesn't teach them any core values, and the work load in class is very minimum. The reason about this is because students are not used to do their homework, and teachers and administrators are not able to instill this POSITIVE CORE value in the students. The work load is minimized and there is no homework because this is the politics of the school. In this way the school can pass AYP. Otherwise, if students don't do their homework and classwork, they will fail the class. The more students fail classes, less likely it is for the school to pass AYP. On another side, the school receives less federal and state money if it does not pass AYP. AYP is the Adequate Yearly Progress, “the U.S. government's measure of how individual public schools perform” (http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-107723545.html).
This is cheating on the side of the principal, Paul Stroh, because he has not been honest to the state about the condition of the school and its standing. He takes the easy and short road. Since students look up at the adults for acceptable behavior, they learn from the principal that dishonesty and cheating will always lead them to success, which negative core values could be seen by the students throughout the entire school. However, they are not taught the real truth that hard work and honesty is actually what leads people to success. As a consequence of the principal’s greedy and thirsty desire for success, students’ future is impacted in a negative way. The principal is using the lives of children for his own personal advancement and prestige.
When students go to college, they will prefer to take the short cut by cheating on tests and copying from internet resources which will lead them to getting expelled from college. In addition, as adults they are more likely to cheat on their taxes which can put them in a lot of trouble with the law. Studies have proved the fact that the more students are exposed to dishonesty and cheating during their education, more likely they are to cheat in college and on their taxes because this is the core value instilled in them.
The administration and the staff definitely brush students’ minds to go in the army and fight. This could also be seen from the Eisenhower Drill competition where students participated as armed Platoon military army. By the end of their freshmen year, 90 percent of the students want to go in the army or be involved with it in one or another way when they finish high school. Can you imagine how many students are really applying to the army during their senior year? Their words are " I want to enter the army and die fighting." From this fact, it could be very easily seen that the mission of Marine Military Academy at 145 South Campbell Avenue is not to prepare students for college. This idea is just introduced to the people in order for them to have students. However, behind this lie and exaggeration is the truth about the mission of this school, which is recruiting the young and innocent members of the American society to enter the army. If you don’t want your child to go in the army, you need to send him/her to college prep school or another school that is not affiliated with the U.S army.

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27 comments
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Kkklover69
Chicago, US
Mar 15, 2011 5:25 am EDT

[censor]s

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Kkklover69
Chicago, US
Mar 15, 2011 5:24 am EDT

If yuh dnt like this school parents [censor]en transfer yuhr [censor] kidds out! Its them messin up the uniform! White power

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Kkklover69
Chicago, US
Mar 15, 2011 5:17 am EDT

Lick my nazi dick how can a marine academy make kids sign up for the army?!?!? Are u [censor]en stupid?!? Yuhr jus another stupid [censor] tht makes this school bad all thanks to the black people always messing up the uniform if yuh dnt like it transfer!

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Kkklover69
Chicago, US
Mar 15, 2011 5:14 am EDT

I blame the black people xD

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1994
Chicago, US
Jun 28, 2010 8:21 pm EDT

This school really disappointed me. I was not AT ALL impressed with the types of things i saw in that school. The school is in horrible condition;students at the school punch holes in the walls, write on the walls and the one thing they absolutely LOVE to do is urinate on the floors of the bathrooms (males). All but about 10 mmsa incoming seniors are what i would consider "good cadets" the rest are simply garbage ( I apologize for putting it bluntly, but people who have no respect for authority and are leading lives full of gangs, sex and violence are simple that.) when i attended the school the sophomores were a joke, and the freshmen are nothing special, but overall i would say they are the best class at mmsa, although they don't set the bar very high. I have profound respect for the teachers and instructors at the school, they are very devoted to their job and do anything they are possibly capable of to improve the school and help the students. The kids at that school are the problem. At MMSA there are girls who are already mothers, gang members and fist fights, sexual and physical harassment as well. I would always listen to staff at the school hoping that MMA would some day become a "Premiere learning environment, " I would love for that school to make a 180 degree turn for the better, but realistically things like those simply do not happen.

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MarineParent
, US
May 13, 2010 12:36 am EDT

“My daughter is a 2nd year cadet and I'm not impressed. The CPS leadership is non existent! There is no accountability for the level of education the cadets are to receive. The Marine Corp component is very good, but if you want a college prep program, MMA isn't it. It's easy to out perform Crane, but it would be the parents hope to out perform Whitney Young. This is the only school in the CPS system that is on a 4x4 block schedule. That means that you condense 1 years worth of coursework into 6 months. Arguably, our teenagers don't have the attention span to sit in 1 class for 85 minutes and remember it all and barely have homework.”
The above complain could be viewed at http://www.greatschools.org/school/parentReviews.page?id=9769&state=IL.
If you are not able to enter the website, you can perform the following steps:
Step1: Enter http://www.greatschools.org/
Step 2: Enter Marine Military Academy in the tab located on the right side of the page
Step4: Different Military Academies would appear on the screen. You would need to clock
On Marine Military Academy.

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Student at Marine
, US
May 12, 2010 6:46 pm EDT

“I am a student in the Marine Military Academy, and I went into the school hoping for a safe, disciplined and stimulating learning environment but instead found a mediocre curriculum school located in a highly dangerous and poverty stricken neighborhood and a place in which gang fights inside the building occur weekly. The students are anything but disciplined, ...most teachers can care less about the students, and the school puts as much emphasis on military instruction as possible. There are a few upperclassmen who attend class only four times a month and spend the rest of their days twirling rifles and drilling. I feel I have not learned anything of value since attending this school and am anxiously waiting for the year to end and to hopefully transfer. This school is a deplorable place to be in and the absolute last place you would want to send your child for an education.”

The above comment could be viewed at http://www.education.com/schoolfinder/us/illinois/chicago/marine-military-academy-hs.
It had been submitted at the website on January 27, 2010.
If you are not able to enter the website, you can perform the following steps:

Step1: Enter http://www.education.com
Step 2: Click on the tab School Finder
Step 3: Enter Marine Military Academy in the tab located on the right side of the page
Step4: Different Military Academies would appear on the screen. You would need to click
on the Marine Military Academy.

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Viky Secret
, US
May 09, 2010 2:56 pm EDT

Because of the conditions at Marine Military Academy, the administration needs to be changed. At this moment, people have the power to change the school and secure their children with an environment that will provide them the tools to succeed not only now but also in their future.

The principal, Paul Stroh, doesn't even have a Bachelor Degree, and he doesn't even have any classroom experience. Principals are supposed to have at least Masters Degree and previous classroom experience, as it has been with Chicago Public Schools a long time ago. However, now CPS hires anybody to be a principal as long as he/she has some contacts as it is the case with Paul Stroh knowing people in the Board of Education. Paul Stroh's major was Business before he decided not to pursue it any more. For this reason, he has taken some Leadership program with CPS prior becoming a principal. However, if principals have a classroom experience, they would be better able to understand what is it to be in the shoes of the teachers as teachers need to know what is it to be in the shoes of the students.

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MUAH
Chicago, US
Apr 21, 2010 4:48 pm EDT

hey Sofy...are you a student? Well i am, so people listen to me! this school might not have as many extra curricular activities as i would wish it would and there are few honors classes, but that crap you said about us learning dishonesty and not gaining good principles is 3 BAGS FULL because they make us drop every day for disobeying, they teach us to lead (something that will come in handy) and the marine cops clearly states "I WILL NOTE LIE CHEAT OR STEAL" and they drill that into our head!we are taught life values something that every community lacks...OH and that other crap about 90% of the people wanting to go to the army is a LIE (lol u were getting all statistical)first of all, a marine student would less be likely to join the army instead of the marine corps and second of all most of us DON'T PLAN TO JOIN THE MILITARY!... and this school is just training us to be tough, many instructors have recommended us NOT TO JOIN THE MILITARY! because they now how hard it is... SOFY WHY ARE YOU BEING SO DISHONEST DID YOUR PRINCIPLE TEACH YOU HOW?

Emmanuel Bell
Emmanuel Bell
xxxxxxx, US
Mar 30, 2010 6:06 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hmm...did you just post the same complaint twice, under a different name?

How about all of the people who think negatively about the school, drop by some time.

Show up 2nd period or sometime during the day, when all of the students are behaving how they normally would, and talk to the office about a shadow day. If they say no, then at least you got in, and you would be able to walk around.

That would probably be a lot more productive than slander, and other arguments. It seems to me, that some of you, (such as those who post the same thing with no regard for other comments) are just acting on blind hate, or dislike. People like that should probably spend some time at six flags, or another fun place, and get off of the internet.

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vicy secret
, US
Mar 29, 2010 9:42 pm EDT

Every year Chicago's Marine Military Academy gets worse. The students are fighting. The older kids are picking on the younger ones. I am very disappointed with the principal. It appears that he is lacking something, I'm not sure what. I have called numerous times, and he has not returned my calls. I am also not very pleased with the teachers. They definitely brush students’ minds to go in the army and fight. This could be also seen from the Eisenhower Drill competition where students participated as armed Platoon military army. By the end of their freshmen year, 90 percent of the students want to go in the army or be involved with it in one or another way. If you don’t want your child to go in the army, I would suggest you send it to college prep school.

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shortyscary
Chicago, US
Feb 25, 2010 4:46 pm EST

I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee this school is the BEST! yay and the physic teacher is super cooooooooool! we get the best of the best and by that i mean we work as a team hell yeah GO MMSA!

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shortyscary
Chicago, US
Feb 25, 2010 4:40 pm EST

First of all we are Marines not Army, all of the things u are saying are NOT even true, this school is one of the good schools were students get to learn alot more things that others dont even know, We the students are nothing comparing to what you said about us we are good students dont be a hater ok. Thank you so much for your made up complains that are not even true, and second of all you dont even know half of the stuff you are typing thats why you type it.

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angrymmastudent
Chicago, US
Feb 25, 2010 4:37 pm EST

Although, the physics teacher is awwwweeeeessssssoooooommmmmeeee!

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angrymmastudent
Chicago, US
Feb 25, 2010 4:36 pm EST

PLEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSEEEEEEE DOnt send your student to MArine Military Academy. It's really a dissapointment to selective enrollment standards. Freshman year, any one was allowed into the school just to meet the quota. This school made me want to attend my terrible neighborhood school for the simple fact it couldnt be any worse than this school. Any one who likes it must have been thoroughly brainwashed.

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Philip Belding
, US
Jan 11, 2010 4:08 am EST

" My daughter is a 2nd year cadet and I'm not impressed. The CPS leadership is non existent! There is no accountability for the level of education the cadets are to receive. The Marine Corp component is very good, but if you want a college prep program, MMA isn't it. It's easy to out perform Crane, but it would be the parents hope to out perform Whitney Young. This is the only school in the CPS system that is on a 4x4 block schedule. That means that you condense 1 years worth of coureswork into 6 months. Arguably, our teenages don't have the attention span to sit in 1 class for 85 minutes and remember it all and barely have homework."

The above comment refers to Marine Military Academy at 145 South Campbell Avenue, Chicago. It could be viewed at http://www.greatschools.org/school/parentReviews.page?id=9769&state=IL. It is posted on the website on November 30, 2009.

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Sam shneider
, US
Nov 25, 2009 2:27 am EST

The below comment refers to Marine Military Academy at 145 South Campbell Avenue.
It could be viewed at http://www.greatschools.net/school/parentReviews.page?id=9769&state=IL. It is posted on the website on August 17th, 2009.

"I was disappointed by the school overall my son's freshman year. The lack of leadership made it difficult for the school and students to flourish. The curriculum was not what was promised when I enrolled my son. I enrolled him in a selective enrollment school in hopes that he would get a headstart on college enrollment and am seroiusly disappointed."

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karen shawn
, US
Nov 24, 2009 3:02 am EST

I agree with the fact that the academies are about recruitment, not academics." This statement was told by Sheena Gibbs, a member of the Truth in Recruitment Program. This fact could be very easily understood by the below average score of military academies, which have already had a first senior class. Examples for this fact are Chicago Military Academy at Bronzeville and Chicago's Phoenix Military Academy High School .
The parent of a student, who attends Chicago's Phoenix Military Academy, has written the following review:

"I am a parent and my son has been in this school for three years. I don't think this school is interested in education as much as they are interested in drafting new recruits to the military. They focus on military more so than education which is not the main purpose of school... It is suppose to be education! I really am looking to transfer him out as quickly as possible."

This review could be seen at
http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/il/5991

P.S. It seems the principal has paid people to talk in favor of the school. Everything is politics. I understand how you feel when you take part of this conspiracy, and you don't want your dirty clothes to be understood by the people. Just remember one think, the wheel is turning around. The way you treat others in unfair way and using them as a scapegoat for your own unethical mistakes, malevolent bigotry, and unsophisticated pragmatism, that's how others will treat you. You need to give respect in order to get respect. The way you want to be treated, that's how you need to treat them no matter who you are because one day you never know if you will be the one that depends on them. Everything stated is validated from someone's eyes. Based on the unethical statements showing copious amount of obsolescence and cryptic messages, the natural setting and environment of the school are revealed. Amid your highened attention on the reputation of your school, your responsibility to provoke the already validated facts is ultimately intensified and transformed into the unsophisticated pragmatism; it is displayed by the copious amount of inappropriate language, which is not venerated by many people. Although you show enormous effort to transcend this setback and people's view of the military academies, the prognosis for the result of your speech is that it will become clear that it is trivial and would not benefit the reputation of the school. In retrospect, you have become malevolent toward the validated truth because your actions are illegal. Although your exorbitant effort of showing antipathy toward the truth, you are motivated by your personal interest and selfish motives. Although your exorbitant effort to adjudicate the validated statement about the unsophisticated pragmatism and malevolent environment of the school, your appellate intention are transformed. The validated facts are testified, and they are presented as written affidavit. In this testimony, the truth is explained. You should be glad that a civil attorney has not been brought for your ipso facto approach to provoke the truth because of your litigious situation. Because of your embezzlement of government money, this is an act of malfeasance. Because of your lies to the public, which is the same think as done under oath, you commit perjury. Your statement is a sanction; it makes it clear that you are part of this conspiracy. That's why you approve some inappropriate behavior which you have displayed by yourself in your message. This really shows the type of behavior students are taught at this school. Since tort is an unintentional violation of another person's rights, you have committed tort to many people; your consciousness of this committed tort is going to hunt you for a very long time. As a result, you delve into policy issues and lives of innocent people utilizing lies and prejudices. You should grapple with the strengths and weaknesses of your pragmatism as a tool for school improvement instead of attempting to decimate the life of people who have been working very hard to achieve the goals. You are evil in any possible way!

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Jade Nguyen
, US
Nov 22, 2009 12:33 am EST

Oh yeah, one more thing to anybody at all that doesn't like the military academies in Chicago and thinks that JROTC is only a means of recruitment: Go do some research on your own and look up the graduation rate of cadets in the JROTC programs and how many of them go to college after the graduate.

You seem to be able to find all of the bad things people say about the academies, just like how Sheena was quoted in a previous comment, but do you even bother to look at the good sides? Probably not.

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Jade Nguyen
, US
Nov 22, 2009 12:29 am EST

sofy: I have nothing to say to you because my father, Patrick, has already said about everything that needs to be said. I'll simply say that you're an idiot who does not seem like she can think for herself. Why? It sounds like you used words from somebody else and tried making an (extremely poor) essay out of it. If you would like to complain about anything at all, make sure that you're using your own ideas. Research and write - do not listen and recap. I also believe that you have no idea what a "core value" is because of the way you use the phrase so many times in your "essay". Anyways, my comment is not about you so I won't elaborate on my thoughts of your stupidity and cowardliness anymore.

my main topic is "enoemos"

enoemos: Your post was submitted merely 5 days ago and you state that you are a freshman. A childish, fresh out of elementary school, immature, still thinks I'm the ###, stupid freshman. I know without a doubt that if you try comparing yourself to any junior, or even some of the sophomores, you'll be kissing their toes because believe me, you are not the ###. More than that, you do NOT have the RIGHT to comment about MY school when you've only attended the academy for a single quarter. You have not seen anywhere near enough of the academy to have the right to judge it.

My guess is, you tried to be one of the hot shots and show off that you can lead everybody but got shot down because you lead the wrong way. Or, you could be one of those idiots who has no respect for authority nor can handle standing at attention when told or not talking for a full 15 minutes while formations is being held. Either way, I'm glad you're leaving. As a matter of fact, I can name a number of people who are glad you're leaving even if we don't know your name.

You also say that you don't want to be around gang members, drugs, or violence. My question to you is: where would you go if not for Marine? I'd be willing to bet that you live in a neighborhood whose school has all three of those, didn't get into any of the selective enrollment high schools, and your only other choice was MMSA. I see four options for you.

Option One: Enroll to your neighborhood school, deal with gangbangers (how many times have you seen gang issues in the academy? I've hardly seen any in the 2.5 years I've been at the academy compared to my 1 quarter at another high school), drugs (you'd still have that problem at lane tech if you were smart enough to get in but don't worry about it because you're most likely not smart enough and that's not an option for you), and possibly getting your ### kicked everyday for no reason at all (by the way, how many fights have you been in this year? none, right? wow, must not be so bad at MMSA after all).

Option Two: Ask your parents to send you to a private school because you can't handle life and all of the different people it has to offer. So, you'd rather surround yourself by rich kids and make your parents pay a $15, 000 tuition every year. Unfortunately for you, just like my parents can't afford it, I'm sure yours can't either.

Option Three: Request that somebody in your family home school you. However, if both of your parents work, I'm sure it is for a reason and they can't afford to quit a job for your selfishness. If you can be home schooled by a family member other than your parents, who would do it? How would you know what you need to learn for college? You obviously don't want to go to the military - I have nothing against it (I wouldn't want someone so unfaithful and stupid as you in my unit anyways) - so you probably want to go to college, right? I'd bet that whoever taught you wasn't nearly as smart as the teachers that MMSA has employed.

Option Four: Suck it up, dry your tears, and stay at the academy. Actually, if you are so disappointed in the school, wouldn't you try to fix it? If I was right earlier about you being shot down and that you're not a good enough leader, this is probably a reason why. You go to the academy but complain about it without making an effort to improve the school. I'm usually supposed to try and inspire cadets to do better and motivate them to want to stay in the school but I won't lie. I don't want you in the school. So cross out option four completely.

I have no idea who you are because you didn't use a name, but I really don't care either. If you don't like the school, leave. It's fine, you won't be missed, no one will cry, no one will lose a good nights sleep, nobody will try and stop you. When spring comes, I hope you have a better high school experience somewhere else.

I have only two more things left to point out.

Insulting the Marine Math and Science Academy by agreeing with sofy when you have no idea what goes on at the school either is one thing. However, BLAMING the school for making your fellow cadets want to enlist in a military service is flat out wrong. The school is not making your fellow cadets do anything by force. The school is opening up a door and showing what a military life might be like. If you have a problem with that, you are an idiot for choosing a military academy. That is all on you.

The subject that has been eating at me the most is your "Many of my classmates want a career in the military via the Naval Academy." quote just plain pisses me off the most. No, not the fact that they want to go. Hell, no. I want to go to the Naval Academy too. It's the fact that you say it like it is a bad thing. The United States Naval Academy is one of the top engineering academies in the nation. It is so hard to get into that I'm still trying to find ways to stand out more to the admissions board. It is my dream to attend the Naval Academy and you're acting like the USNA is a bad path for somebody to take? If the military is not for you, don't join. Simple as that. If the Naval Academy is for one of your classmates or friends, support them. It's a honor to be chosen to attend the Naval Academy. The USNA ranks up there with Harvard, Yale and other Ivy League universities. The differences? Its free and you have the honor of serving the country that gives you the freedom to be able to say that you don't appreciate it.

You know what happens to an American citizen who says that they hate America? Nothing. Why? Simply because there are men and women who fight to protect that right of yours by protecting the very land and nation that allows it. I respect all branches of the United States Military and I respect all of the service academies. Don't even mention the US Military or the service academies in a way that might make any of them look bad. The students in those academies and the soldiers, sailors or marines in those units are worth ten times more than you are in this world.

Good luck on transferring out and I hope you find a more gang, drug, and violence free school to go to.

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enoemos
, US
Nov 16, 2009 8:20 pm EST

I completely agree with you. coming into the school as a freshman this year, i thought, "Wow a military school, finally a place were i won't be anywhere near gang members, drugs, and violence." I was sadly mistaken. Although most of the information you included is true you failed to incorporate the fact that the army in no way is affiliated with the school. The instructors ( military veterans ) are always finding ways to keep their students subservient to them. This school is definitely trying to bias me and has succeeded in doing so with many of my fellow "cadets" into joining a military branch, Many of my classmates want a career in the military via the Naval Academy. This school is really not the place to be and i am looking forward to transferring out come this spring.

Emmanuel Bell
Emmanuel Bell
xxxxxxx, US
Oct 14, 2009 7:46 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

This really got me angry. I'd like to start off by saying that I am a Corporal at Marine Math and Science Academy and I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE TO GO TO THE EISENHOWER DRILL MEET. I can personally say that we don't run about talking about the Army, especially since this is a MARINE academy. (Their words are " I want to enter the army and die fighting.") Well it seems there are quotes around this, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SAID. If we are as motivated as you claim, then I think we would know the difference between the Army and the USMC. People putting words into my mouth and the mouths of my friends is just a disgrace.

A second thing, please visit marinemilitary.org, or even just come to the school, and tell me if these are the gun totting, knife carrying students that you describe. Any school were students walk down the halls correcting other students cannot be that bad, if this were the case, complain about Crane, which is just a couple of blocks away, at least people in our school don't get stabbed every year. My school works on honor, courage, and commitment. Maybe you mistake commitment as commitment to the military. This would not be the case. It means to be committed to yourself, the school, your family, and your peers. Personally, I am going to enlist regardless, because 4 generations of my family were either enlisted, or officers in the United States Marine Corps.

(Since students look up at the adults for acceptable behavior, they learn from the principal that dishonesty and cheating will always lead them to success, ...) This is another thing that you said. I must retort with one thing, what kind of idiot thinks that cheating is the answer. Have you never seen TV as a child. The bad guy ALWAYS loses.

My guess is you and Smithsmen are strong liberals with your brains caught up your respective butts. If you ever came to the school, I think you'd be surprised.

As for what briannaj said. I agree with Mr. Stroh. Anyone that misbehaves enough to get expelled, most likely is a bad apple. It's not their peers job, or the teachers' job to forge them into nice young people. Normally, by highschool, their parents have had at least 14 years to do that. If they don't want to try, then they don't deserve to be here.

Lastly, about us drilling with rifles. I don't think you can be in a gang, acting stupid, holding a 10 pound+ rifle. If that shocks you, then guess what, we also use SWORDS (OHH TEH NOES! Run away!) But guess what, so do these other schools::

-Bronzeville Military Academy (Army JROTC)
-Pheonix Military Academy (Army JROTC)
-Whitney Young JROTC (Navy)
-Lane Tech JROTC (Army)
-There's more, maybe you can look them up at chicagojrotc.com, you would probably need to complain about those too, cause Whitney Young is such a bad school. (I laugh at you)

Ohh and tell me, does this seem like the "enlist now" type people you speak of::
"Forty Army Cadets and five Cadre
members of the Virginia Tech Army ROTC
program worked along side hundreds of
volunteers on Friday, 9 December 2005 to help
build a new home for the Crawford-Smith family
of Blacksburg, Virginia."
--Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
MAJ Patrick Hogeboom

Leftist idiots like you who can't get there facts straight, and enjoy disgracing honorable men, women, and teenagers, ought to realize that you have what you have because of the military and that there is no conpiracy because they don't need it. Freedom came from countless courageous americans. (read a US History book once in a while)

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L.Marie
Chicago, US
Oct 14, 2009 7:05 pm EDT

First of all... WHAT! I've been around Marines the past 3 years.. and I know that they are not teaching us to go into the army! Thats acutally and insult! I personally think you don't know what you are talking about... your background info is all screwed up.. and your a hater! Either our school kicked your school butt in a drill competition, or a a crazy person that likes to stalk and hate on military schools. Marine Military Academy was the best thing that has ever happend to me. If I was to go to another school... like Crane who knows where i'd be right now!
So seriously STHU!

-L.Marie
OORAH!

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Ashley Jay
Chicago, US
Oct 13, 2009 11:36 pm EDT

WHOOOO.!
MR. NGUYEN RULES.!
BATTALION XO OF Marine Military Academy

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Patrick T. Nguyen
, US
Oct 13, 2009 10:47 pm EDT

Where do I begin to retort your submitted complaint? Logically, let me first start with the title of your complaint, “Marine Military Academy Complaints – prepare students for the army.” I find it hard to believe that any Marine academy would have a goal of preparing students for the Army. Now, I know what you probably meant was army as a general term, this being the case, your title should have been something like, “Marine Military Academy Complaints – prepare students for the military.” Your lack of understanding of the different armed services branches adds discredit to your complaint (one demerit). If you really want your complaint to be taken seriously, I recommend doing research and know a little about the topic you are complaining about.
Moving on, you begin to support your complaint by making statements about fighting, upper classmen picking on lower classmen and kids bringing contraband. What does this have to do with preparing students for the military? Even though this has no relevance to your complaint, I will humor you and analyze what you said. You offer no proof to validate your statements. Even if these statements are true, these events happen at many schools, not just at military academies. I especially like your statement, “Many students are expelled from the school during the entire year because the teachers and the administration are Not able to instill positive character development.” Expulsion is permanent; no statement of duration is needed. Did you mean, “…suspended from the school for the entire year…”? Sorry, your statement was grammatically unclear, but the main reason I liked your statement is your belief that “the teachers and the administration are not able to instill positive character development.” When has society exonerated parents from the responsibility of instilling a positive character upon their own children? Have we become unable to do this ourselves and now require others to achieve what we fail to accomplish? (Drop and give me 50!)
To the meat of your complaint, you claim that class work and homework is kept at a minimal and that students are not challenged. You believe that this is a giant conspiracy being orchestrated by the principal, whom you name. The motive for this conspiracy, you state, is to continue to receive federal and state money by maintaining a minimum AYP standard. Thank you for the link explaining AYP. It is best practice to include more credible sources preferably from the governing body. Here is a link that outlines the factors considered in determining AYP as outlined by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ayp/htmls/ayp_factors.htm. If you look at the first factor, 70+% must meet or exceed the standards for the appropriate standardized test. Knowing this, it would be counter intuitive for me to believe that Mr. Paul Stroh would minimize the students’ education to meet AYP requirements. If, truly, there is this great conspiracy going on, there must be some evidence of it that you can divulge, perhaps some internal memo from the principal to the teachers to this affect? Or perhaps, you can find a dedicated teacher willing to testify against this heinous conspiracy? If you cannot offer any of this proof, then it appears your statement and naming someone borderlines defamation of character. You are lucky that he has not retained a civil attorney to sue you for damages. Oh, that is right; you made these claims in the anonymousness of the Internet. (Demotion!)
The remainder of that paragraph along with the following one, I will not comment on as they are just mindless ramblings continuing about the effects of the conspiracy in which you offer no proof. Your last paragraph is the only paragraph which has anything to do with your complaint. Let me get this straight. You went to a military drill competition and you were offended by seeing students marching with rifles? Really?! No, really?! You know, once I went to a Chicago Bears game. I was offended in seeing grown men running full speed and smashing into one another. Sorry, I digress. How did you get your statistic of 90 percent of the freshman want to join the military? Was this some type of scientific survey along the lines of 9 out of 10 dentists surveyed approve chewing gum while walking? Now, for your quoting “Their words.” Who are they? Was this “their” words verbatim? Once again, you offer no proof or reason to believe any of your claims. Please post complaints that are based on truth, not opinions and sensationalism. I will have to fully disagree with your complaint.
Now, for my opinion and comments about the Marine Military Academy based on my experiences as a parent of a junior at the school, the school may not be perfect, but it is not that bad either. The school does a great job in instilling positive core values (Honor, Courage and Commitment). She has learned to honor the past, present and future. She honors the past soldiers that have fought to give our nation the freedoms we enjoy. She hopes that future students honor the students of the past by living by the traditions and standards the inaugural students put in place. She honors the present soldiers fighting in areas around the world and their continued sacrifices. She honors the current faculty and staff of the school for their dedication to the success of the students. She also honors her classmates for their role in defining what it means to be a student of Marine Military Academy. She honors the future soldiers who, regardless of public opinion, will perform their duties to the best of their abilities. She honors the future students as they will inherit the high school she has learned to love. Besides honor, she has learned the courage to do the right thing. The school has also taught her commitment, commitment to the school, her fellow classmates, this country and most importantly to herself. If you do not want your child to learn these core values, you do not want to send them to the Marine Military Academy. This is what they will learn there.

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briannaj
, US
Oct 01, 2009 3:52 am EDT

I strongly agree with the above provided information.
In addition, the Principal Paul Stroh refers to the students expelled from the school as the “bad apples, ” which are his own words. I have personally witnessed this.

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Smithsmen
, US
Sep 27, 2009 11:18 pm EDT

"Anti-recruitment activists oppose the military academies, pointing to below-average scores on state tests. "The academies are about recruitment, not academics, " Sheena Gibbs, a member of the Truth in Recruitment Program, told the Tribune. "

The above information could also be viewed at

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2007/10/military-school.html