OT- Another reason to homeschool?
eagleacademymn
Seems like this info could easily get into the wrong hands...
BOSTON - A little-noticed provision in a new federal education law is
requiring high schools to hand over to military recruiters some key
information about its juniors and seniors:
name, address and phone number.
The Pentagon says the information will help it recruit young people
to defend their country. But the new law disturbs parents and
administrators in some liberal communities that aren't exactly gung-
ho about the armed forces.
Some say the law violates students' privacy and creates a moral
dilemma over the military's ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy on gays.
''I find it appalling that the school is sending out letters to do
the job of the military,'' said Amy Lang, the parent of a student at
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, where Coke was once banned in a
protest against the soda giant's investments in apartheid South
Africa. ''It's clearly an invasion of my daughter's privacy.''
The No Child Left Behind law, signed last January, pumps billions
into education but also gives military recruiters access to the
names, addresses and phone numbers of students in 22,000 schools. The
law also says that schools must give the military the same access to
their campuses that businesses and college recruiters enjoy.
School systems that fail to comply could lose federal money. The
measure also applies to private schools receiving federal funding.
But Quaker schools and others that have a religious objection to
military service can get out of the requirement.
Students and parents who oppose the law can keep their information
from being turned over to the military, but they must sign and return
an ''opt-out'' form.
The Boston school system, which has 7,500 juniors and seniors,
included the opt-out notice in a take-home student handbook, but
fewer than a dozen parents opted out.
So far, 95 percent of the nation's schools are in compliance, said
Pentagon spokeswoman Maj. Sandra Troeber. She would not identify the
other schools. But Education Department spokesman Dan Langan said
that the current focus is on cooperation and that no schools have
been sanctioned.
Federal law already requires men to register with the Selective
Service within 30 days of turning 18. The new law, however, enables
the Pentagon to reach potential recruits when they are 15 or 16.
In New York City, Daniel Alterman was taken aback when his 15-year-
old son, a junior at Stuyvesant High, received a recruitment letter.
''Parents are in the dark,'' Alterman said. ''It freaked me out. I
didn't sign up to support the military effort.''
Alterman said after he opted out, his son received another letter,
this one promoting scholarships. ''It was very seductive. They didn't
say anything about risk to personal safety,'' Alterman said.
Among those objecting to the new requirements is the New York City
chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Executive director
Donna Lieberman said that the opt-out provision is inadequate and
that schools should be doing more to protect students' privacy.
In a letter last month, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and
Education Secretary Rod Paige reminded high school administrators of
their duty, and cited ''the excellent educational opportunities the
military affords, as well as an environment that encourages the
development of strong character and leadership skills.''
The Pentagon said better access to students could also hold down the
rising costs of recruitment. Over the past decade, the cost per
recruit has nearly doubled from $6,500 to $11,600.
Before the law, military recruiters could meet with students in
Cambridge and Northampton on campus only if the student sought them
out, and then only at a meeting attended by a guidance counselor. But
Cambridge held a military career fair at the high school a month ago.
''It's a vast departure from the way we've done business,'' said
Donna Harlan, an associate superintendent in the Northampton school
system. ''We are not in the business of giving lists of names of kids
to anybody. That was tough. The issue was if we were to receive
federal or state money, we had to comply with the law.''
The law also spelled the end of a 6-year ban on military recruiting
on campus in Portland, Ore. After contending that the ''don't ask,
don't tell'' policy discriminates against gays, the school system now
gives recruiters a shot at its 16,000 students.
In Massachusetts, Framingham High senior April Middleton decided over
lunch recently that maybe the military is in her future after talking
with Army National Guard Sgt. Louis Perrin, a recruiter who visited
the cafeteria.
Middleton, 18, said she plans to enlist after she graduates, and the
prospect of war has not scared her off. ''Sometimes you've got to
make sacrifices,'' she said.
Sometimes, however, recruiters battle hostility.
''One teacher said we were trying to brainwash kids. All we were
doing was handing out pencils,'' Perrin said. ''We're not trying to
invade anybody's privacy. We're just trying to protect their
freedoms.''
AP-NY-12-02-02 1413EST
BOSTON - A little-noticed provision in a new federal education law is
requiring high schools to hand over to military recruiters some key
information about its juniors and seniors:
name, address and phone number.
The Pentagon says the information will help it recruit young people
to defend their country. But the new law disturbs parents and
administrators in some liberal communities that aren't exactly gung-
ho about the armed forces.
Some say the law violates students' privacy and creates a moral
dilemma over the military's ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy on gays.
''I find it appalling that the school is sending out letters to do
the job of the military,'' said Amy Lang, the parent of a student at
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, where Coke was once banned in a
protest against the soda giant's investments in apartheid South
Africa. ''It's clearly an invasion of my daughter's privacy.''
The No Child Left Behind law, signed last January, pumps billions
into education but also gives military recruiters access to the
names, addresses and phone numbers of students in 22,000 schools. The
law also says that schools must give the military the same access to
their campuses that businesses and college recruiters enjoy.
School systems that fail to comply could lose federal money. The
measure also applies to private schools receiving federal funding.
But Quaker schools and others that have a religious objection to
military service can get out of the requirement.
Students and parents who oppose the law can keep their information
from being turned over to the military, but they must sign and return
an ''opt-out'' form.
The Boston school system, which has 7,500 juniors and seniors,
included the opt-out notice in a take-home student handbook, but
fewer than a dozen parents opted out.
So far, 95 percent of the nation's schools are in compliance, said
Pentagon spokeswoman Maj. Sandra Troeber. She would not identify the
other schools. But Education Department spokesman Dan Langan said
that the current focus is on cooperation and that no schools have
been sanctioned.
Federal law already requires men to register with the Selective
Service within 30 days of turning 18. The new law, however, enables
the Pentagon to reach potential recruits when they are 15 or 16.
In New York City, Daniel Alterman was taken aback when his 15-year-
old son, a junior at Stuyvesant High, received a recruitment letter.
''Parents are in the dark,'' Alterman said. ''It freaked me out. I
didn't sign up to support the military effort.''
Alterman said after he opted out, his son received another letter,
this one promoting scholarships. ''It was very seductive. They didn't
say anything about risk to personal safety,'' Alterman said.
Among those objecting to the new requirements is the New York City
chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Executive director
Donna Lieberman said that the opt-out provision is inadequate and
that schools should be doing more to protect students' privacy.
In a letter last month, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and
Education Secretary Rod Paige reminded high school administrators of
their duty, and cited ''the excellent educational opportunities the
military affords, as well as an environment that encourages the
development of strong character and leadership skills.''
The Pentagon said better access to students could also hold down the
rising costs of recruitment. Over the past decade, the cost per
recruit has nearly doubled from $6,500 to $11,600.
Before the law, military recruiters could meet with students in
Cambridge and Northampton on campus only if the student sought them
out, and then only at a meeting attended by a guidance counselor. But
Cambridge held a military career fair at the high school a month ago.
''It's a vast departure from the way we've done business,'' said
Donna Harlan, an associate superintendent in the Northampton school
system. ''We are not in the business of giving lists of names of kids
to anybody. That was tough. The issue was if we were to receive
federal or state money, we had to comply with the law.''
The law also spelled the end of a 6-year ban on military recruiting
on campus in Portland, Ore. After contending that the ''don't ask,
don't tell'' policy discriminates against gays, the school system now
gives recruiters a shot at its 16,000 students.
In Massachusetts, Framingham High senior April Middleton decided over
lunch recently that maybe the military is in her future after talking
with Army National Guard Sgt. Louis Perrin, a recruiter who visited
the cafeteria.
Middleton, 18, said she plans to enlist after she graduates, and the
prospect of war has not scared her off. ''Sometimes you've got to
make sacrifices,'' she said.
Sometimes, however, recruiters battle hostility.
''One teacher said we were trying to brainwash kids. All we were
doing was handing out pencils,'' Perrin said. ''We're not trying to
invade anybody's privacy. We're just trying to protect their
freedoms.''
AP-NY-12-02-02 1413EST