The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Board of Directors voted 3 to 2 to remove all marksmanship programs from all SDUSD high schools. That affects nine high school programs within SDUSD. Let’s not forget, Marks-manship/Rifle Shooting is a sport. It is an NCAA sanctioned collegiate sport in the USA. Marksmanship with pump air rifles is taught in thousands of high schools throughout our nation. It is, after all, one more option for students to learn a sport. To date, it is NOT illegal to teach this sport in schools. In San Diego it is apparently a matter of social acceptability. A few people don’t accept it, therefore, it must not be tolerated. Let’s look at the instances of injury in air rifle marksmanship. Zero instances in SDUSD. How many injuries have there been in football, baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball? If you look at sport from the viewpoint of teaching aggressiveness, football should be banned. Will archery be next? How about baseball? A bat can be used as a weapon. Where does this “no tolerance” law stop? JROTC is just another option for students to succeed. If they are interested in marksmanship and wish to go on to the collegiate level, and then, maybe the Olympics, who are we to say no? Are we afraid? What is the real reason for preventing students from learning air rifle safety? I would far prefer my student learn under these circumstances than on the streets, or from friends. We must allow our students to learn in safe environments, and I believe you have done the students a great disservice by taking away this safe option. This costs SDUSD $0! Thousands of California high schools have air rifle classes. If not JROTC, then CMA, Civilian Marksmanship. Even the private school Francis Parker offers an air rifle class — and they are proud of their program. We should follow suit by making a positive example of our air rifle ranges, not submit to fear and “political correctness.” If we are to teach tolerance, then let’s teach tolerance. Let’s give our students the option to learn about air rifle safety in a classroom, not the streets. Pat Hom, parent MBHS JROTC Air Rifle Range supporter President, FOPBSS