School, military too cozy

Recently the Daily Herald carried a disturbing picture titled "Not letting her quit." The picture shows the back of a teenage girl with shoulders rolled and body curled while an Army staff sergeant is in her face, "barking out" encouragement. If this were my daughter at South Elgin High School, I would be livid. I find this activity offensive on several levels:

The sports activity occurred during school hours on school grounds. What were military personnel doing in a public school activity with students?

An in-your-face attitude is seldom a positive force in building self-confidence and life-long success. If yelling and screaming could change educational behavior, all teachers should be taught to do it. But in most classrooms, teachers use better researched motivational techniques.

The non-verbal behavior is especially offensive. The young woman is being taught that one should respond passively to a person with presumed authority who shows aggressive behavior. Internalization of these actions can be harmful to women who learn to respond to abuse in a submissive manner. A strong woman does not need shouting and aggression to excel.

Finally the question remains: Why was a staff sergeant wearing an "Army" T-shirt allowed to be involved in a school activity? Do others have the same level of access? Would a nurse wearing a T-shirt saying "Planned Parenthood" or a minister wearing a T-shirt saying "Jesus is the only truth" be acceptable?

The relationship between the Elgin schools and the military is too cozy.

Dr. Tana Durnbaugh

Elgin