This is important. Congressman Peter King is the chairman of the Congressional Board of Visitors for Kings Point. He issued the following statement on his Facebook page yesterday:
“The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) Sea Year program is a core component of the Academy curriculum. According to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), ‘Sea Year is perceived as a rich and valuable experience. It is considered an invaluable and unique chance to have ‘hands on’ experience that enriches the portfolio of skills of the Midshipmen.’ The problems that led to the Academy and Maritime Administration’s decision to temporarily suspend the Sea Year are indicative of leadership problems at the Academy that must be addressed.” (Emphasis added.)
You nailed it Congressman. And as you dig deeper, look at the timing of the suspension and how it was made public just as the accreditation report that criticized leadership at the Academy was coming out — the “Look, a squirrel” method of diverting attention from the real problem, as I discussed here.