-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Air Force Academy Chief Admits School Bias
Date: 4 Jun 2005 14:58:48 -0500
From: "Michael Givel" <m

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050604/ap_on_re_us/academy_religion&printr=1

Air Force Academy Chief Admits School Bias

By ROBERT WELLER,Associated Press Writer

Fri Jun 3,10:28 PM ET

The superintendent of the Air Force Academy acknowledged to leaders of
a national Jewish group Friday that religious intolerance permeates the
military school.

"As a commander, I know I have problems in my cadet wing," Lt. Gen.
John Rosa said at a meeting of the Anti-Defamation League's executive
committee. "I have issues in my staff, and I have issues in my faculty
- and that's my whole organization."

He said he admonished the academy's No. 2 commander, Brig. Gen. Johnny
Weida, a born-again Christian, for sending an e-mail promoting National
Prayer Day.

"We sat down and said, `This is not right,' and he acknowledged that,"
Rosa said, adding there had been other incidents that crossed the line.
"Perception is reality. We don't have respect."

The academy has been under investigation because of complaints that
evangelical Christians have harassed cadets who do not share their
faith. Some cadets have complained of anti-Semitic slurs, and one of
the top chaplains at the school claims she was fired because she
criticized what she saw as proselytizing at the academy.

Academy leaders deny the claim, saying Capt. MeLinda Morton was simply
reassigned to Japan. The Defense Department's inspector general is
investigating.

Rosa said he has spoken with academy critics and agrees with many of
their complaints. He said he didn't learn of a Yale University memo
issued last year on religious intolerance at the school near Colorado
Springs until much later.

Rosa said the problem is "something that keeps me awake at night."

"If everything goes well, it's probably going to take six years to fix
it," he added.

Mikey Weinstein, an academy graduate who has become a leading critic,
said Rosa's acknowledgment "is too little and too late."

"We need new leadership at the Air Force Academy," said Weinstein, who
has sent two sons to the academy.

Abe Foxman, the ADL's national director, said he was convinced the
general wants to do the right thing.

"We walked away with the feeling that the man is committed to solving
the problem. The question is whether the system will let him," Foxman
said after meeting with Rosa for 90 minutes earlier Friday.