Bubp bill passes in the Ohio House

State Representative Danny Bubp (R-West Union) has announced the passage of legislation from the Ohio House to add the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program to Ohio CORE curriculum. The measure passed by a vote of 96-0.

“It is an honor to work with the JROTC instructors and cadets across Ohio to preserve this essential program in our high schools,” said Bubp. “By adding JROTC to Ohio CORE, we are enabling Ohio’s youth to participate in a program that will motivate them to improve themselves, their schools and their communities.”

Currently, students entering the ninth grade on or after July 1, 2010 are required to complete five elective units from the following: foreign language, fine arts, business, career-technical education, family and consumer sciences, technology, agricultural education, English language arts, mathematics, science or social studies. Freshmen entering school next year cannot use credits earned from JROTC to meet the requirement.

House Bill 290, jointly sponsored by Bubp and State Representative Raymond Pryor (D-Chillicothe), will amend Ohio CORE curriculum by adding JROTC as a permitted elective and permitting schools to include JROTC with interscholastic athletics, marching band and cheerleading as a substitute course for physical education.

Ohio schools host 63 JROTC programs with more than 7,000 participating cadets.

The bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for consideration.