The French, who wrote this piece, don't understand the difference between a charter school where there is some public funding, some private funding, adherence to a minimum curriculum approved by the state, a private agenda, and an admissions process, and a regular "public" school.

They're conflating, and that makes their entire POV crap. The school is named after Admiral Rickover, fachrissake. What do they THINK the focus is going to be? It's like sending your kid to Sacred Heart Academy and being shocked that it's a Catholic school.

ROTC in High School. Some of my best memories in High School came from my Jr. ROTC unit. I have the greatest respect for my commanding officer who was a junior officer in Vietnam. I did not pursue a military career but some of my classmates did, and they made the country safer by their actions.

It doesn't seem like the worst thing in the world, though. A kid who needs structure and discipline and thrives in that sort of venue might like that kind of environment. Parents have options--it's not like "the authorities" are rounding up their children and forcing them into these programs.

The hype in the article is overblown. It's a "Hate the military" article, when the real "enemy" is the failure of governments to fully fund public schools, give teachers the tools and wages to be effective, and create safe learning environments, so parents don't feel a need to enroll their kids in these hybrid efforts.