Below is the text of a letter I sent to Rep Henne and Sen Lehner:

13 Jan 2013
6934 Sylmar Ct
Huber Heights, OH 45424
 
Senator Peggy Lehner
Senate Building
1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
 
Re:  Community contributions supporting academic courses such as ROTC
 
Dear Senator Lehner,
 
Thank you for attending the Jan 9, 2013 Huber Heights City School Board meeting.  As you are aware the Board of Education approved a spending reduction package that results in extra curricular activities such as high school sports and clubs becoming "pay as you go".  The reduction plan also includes eliminating ROTC.  The Board of Education indicated ROTC cannot become a "pay as you go" activity because as an academic course state law prohibits community contributions to maintain viability.  Could you please investigate the accuracy of this interpretation and help facilitate an understanding of the constraints and currency of the perceived limitations?
 
I have a personal apprehension about implementing fees because I view this as an exercise in semantics that allows public schools to charge tuition.  As a practical matter though, the "no tuition" model for public education this country valued from our earliest days until the 1980's is not apparent in school policies we see in the 21st century.  Recognizing this shift in values, I am asking you to coordinate with your fellow legislatures and the state school board to determine the difference in current public sentiment.  This will allow you to judge the relevancy of legislation passed in the past with what needs to be done today.  Reconciling the laws of the state with our current values will help ensure our educational system provides for the needs of our state and our residents. 
 
Thank you for your immediate attention on this matter.  Currently, the Huber Heights School District plans to eliminate ROTC from the 2014 class offerings.  In order for the supporters of this program to raise and contribute the $184,000 to keep this program going we need to know the way forward within the next four weeks.  As a supporter of the program a favorable interpretation of current state law is sufficient.  As a resident of the state I look forward to a long term, comprehensive solution based on the values of the people of Ohio and updated legislation.  Please contact me at my address or via phone (937) 985-6275 and Mr. Mark Combs through the Huber Heights School Board with status and solutions.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
 
Thomas F. McMasters
 
cc:  Rep Mike Henne and the residents of Huber Heights