Military Recruitment: An Invasion Of Privacy

The BostonChannel.com ^ | 11/18/02 | Helen Thomas

[anniegetyourgun]

WASHINGTON -- Guess where the U.S. military has landed? On the grounds of high schools all over the country.

Military recruiters are using President George W. Bush's 2001 education act plus this year's law authorizing Pentagon spending programs to demand that principals hand over the names, addresses and phone numbers of all their students who are juniors and seniors.

What's going on here? What about privacy rights?

Some principals, citing laws saying that information on students is strictly confidential, were told emphatically earlier this year that little-known provisions of the military authorization measure and the No Child Left Behind Act "override any previous restrictions ... about disclosing student information to military recruiters."

Education and Defense Department officials insisted that educators must now notify parents at the beginning of each school year of their intention to give the military the information it wants about the students.

Of course, the officials conceded, parents may "opt out" and ask that schools bar any release of information about their kids.

However, many principals have been confused about the privacy issue and have not informed parents or students of their right to opt out.

Some have simply handed over the records without checking with parents or students. It's easy to see how the school officials were intimidated.

Last month they received a joint letter from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Education Secretary Rod Paige saying that sustaining the nation's all-volunteer military force "requires the active support of public institutions in presenting military opportunities to our young people for their consideration."

The secretaries said the new laws require high schools "to provide to military recruiters, upon request, access to secondary school students and directory information (names, addresses, phone numbers) on those students... .

"For some of our students, this may be the best opportunity they have to get a college education," the two Cabinet officials wrote.

Then they provided the educators guidelines "for compliance with these new laws." And the guidelines made it clear that if they don't comply, the schools will face the loss of federal funding.

I deplore this coercive approach and the resulting loss of privacy. It was prompted by Rep. David Vitter, R-La., who got upset because some schools, especially on the East and West Coasts, were barring Pentagon recruiters.

Vitter said their action "demonstrated an anti-military attitude that I thought was offensive."

The Pentagon has said that about 15 percent of American high schools were "problem schools" for recruiters.

I don't object to recruiters talking to students who want to listen. But I'm not convinced that the military needs to venture into high schools. The Army, for instance, has 1,600 recruiting offices and 4,000 recruiters around the country, who, by the way, are doing just fine.

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks caused a surge in patriotism and many young people rushed to join up.

Douglas Smith, an Army public affairs officer, said the service had met its recruitment quotas for two years in a row before Army scouts began hitting the high schools this year.

In the past the Army focused mostly on 21-year-olds. Smith said the goal this year was 79,500 and that so far 79,604 have enlisted.

However, the military might argue that its new focus on high school students is necessary as the nation prepares for an endless war on terrorism and for an allegedly short-term war with Iraq.

After all, the commanders are saying they will need up to 250,000 troops for the Battle of Baghdad.

But as the military recruiters expand their efforts in high schools, I think they should include other things besides upbeat spiels about educational opportunities and happy careers in defense of the country.

I think they should talk about the dangers of war and add a visit to a veterans' hospital where wounded soldiers, sailors and marines from previous wars languish with permanent injuries. War does that.

Serving in the nation's armed forces is a highly honorable profession. But as long as we do not have the draft, such service should be a truly free choice.

And the cost in human terms -- including the possibility of giving one's life -- should not be hidden in the selling job.

I worry that what happened in earlier wars will happen again -- that privileged students, mainly white, will find ways to get loans and scholarships for their college education without getting into uniform.

That means less privileged students, including poor minorities, who don't have such opportunities, will end up on the battlefront in greater numbers than their percentage of the total population.

It's true that for many young, deprived Americans of all races, the military may be a way out.

But they and everyone else should join because they want to and not because they feel -- or are led to feel -- that they can't do anything else.

(Helen Thomas can be reached at the e-mail address helent@hearstdc.com)

[elbucko]

I deplore this coercive approach and the resulting loss of privacy.

(To Helen Thomas) Well, Helen, you're about 35 years too late. During the draft, the minute a student turned eighteen or graduated HIS name was sent to the local draft board by school officials (not just a recruiter). What is it with you lefty's ? You abuse conscription for LBJ's assurance of an electoral victory in 1968 and now you think everybody else is going to abuse the military just because you Democratic Socialists have done it so often in the past.

How can you shave in the morning, Helen ?!

[Movemout]

"In the past the Army focused mostly on 21-year-olds."

I served one year as an Operations Officer in a Recruiting Battalion and two years as a Company Commander in recruiting. I will state, with no doubt in my mind, that recruiters have never focused on 21 year olds. The prime market is, and has always been, high school seniors or recent graduates. The opportunities provided by any service to young folks who cannot afford to go to college are remarkable. The gratification from serving the nation is a life long benefit. Helen Thomas is a liberal twit. What a surprise.

[45semi]

Best thing I ever did for myself, joining up.
I was headed down a path of trouble before that...
What ever happened to the ideal that it is an honor and a privelege to serve your country in the armed forces?
Guess we would have to live as the Israeli's do before that mindset exists again...

[pikachu]

Helen was never subject to the draft

Didn't they have a draft for the War of 1812?

[jz638]

The issue isn't about privacy, its about government money. High schools get ranked by the state based on the percentage of students going on to college. Those schools with high percentages of students going to college are ranked better, and ultimately get more money (either directly as incentives, or indirectly through property tax increases that "good" schools can demand) With the exception of military colleges, those students entering the military after high school are viewed by administrators as negatives, that's why guidance counselors "strongly encourage" students to take classes for a semester at a community college instead of enlisting, because to the school board, one semester of thirteenth grade at the community college is worth more than basic training. Privacy just happens to be a conveniant (if lame) way to try to keep their "stats" up.

[spunkets]

The names and ages of the students are not private and never where. The United States is only attempting to send them and invitation to serve their country.

If this was for the Americorps program, or the Peace Corps, no one would hear a peep out of these bozos.

[coloradan]

Government schools. Not public schools, government schools. Note to liberals: You can't have it both ways: if government involvement is what you want in schooling, then government involvement is what you will get.

[elbucko]

Best thing I ever did for myself, joining up.

Roger that! I was drafted just as bitter and angry as h*ll. Had an awakening after a year and enlisted.

I have regrets, but the service isn't one of 'em.

[narby]

Amendment IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

That certinaly should apply to the government coming into my house to seize my personal information. But the school is publicly funded. It's information belongs to the public. If your contention is that since the information concerns a private individual, then one public institution (the school) cannot give information to another public institution (the military), then I do agree with you.

But then, I'm not a professional Constitutional scholar. Maybe you know more than me.

[narby]

then I do agree

oops. insert "not"

[Drango]

Pssssst Helen....

Freedom isn't Free.

[elbucko]

Interesting. I knew there was some angle to all this.

[Fintan]

Perhaps Helen would prefer we return to a draft?

No, this pickled and deluded leftist hates (in no particular order):

• The United States of America.
• The United States Constitution.
• President George W. Bush.
• Republicans.
• The military (the same military which risks everything to preserve this hag's freedom to spew her bile).
• You & me.

What her and her parasitic ilk would love is for this country to be completely defenseless and run by a rapist. Much like it was from 1992 -2000.

Hope that clears it up.

[Tis The Time''s Plague]

I think they should talk about the dangers of war and add a visit to a veterans' hospital where wounded soldiers, sailors and marines from previous wars languish with permanent injuries.

I think this is the best suggestion of the article. Take those young men and women to talk to veterans in the VA hospitals. Have them ask those heros why they fought and if they think these young folks should also join. They'll learn more about America in a hour in a VA ward than they will in a year in our high schools.

[Amelia]

Education and Defense Department officials insisted that educators must now notify parents at the beginning of each school year of their intention to give the military the information it wants about the students.

Of course, the officials conceded, parents may "opt out" and ask that schools bar any release of information about their kids.

I wonder how much information is released to colleges without notifying parents or students?

[!1776!]

I worry that what happened in earlier wars will happen again -- that privileged students, mainly white, will find ways to get loans and scholarships for their college education without getting into uniform.

Moot point. College defferement is only good until the end of the semester now.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

COWARDICE Knows no COURAGE only DEFEAT

[toddst]

Serving in the nation's armed forces is a highly honorable profession. But as long as we do not have the draft, such service should be a truly free choice.

Choosing to enlist IS a free choice situation. Beyond that, most 18 year old "boys and girls" aren't mature enough to fully benefit from college yet. Take a good look at any freshman class in the majority of colleges - just big kids.

A couple of years in the military allows for growing up plus starting to understand personal discipline. The "kids" coming out of the services are ready to go to school and really benefit from that education.

Sure, there's that "combat" word. However, people sort themselves out in all branches of the services. Most never see combat, but they do grow up. Just my opinion.

[Criminal Number 18F]

A few real predictable things here.

1. Helen Thomas, an Arab, outraged that we plan to fight back against her bloodline.
2. The old liberal nonsense about minorities taking the brunt of combat. As she puts it less privileged students, including poor minorities, who don't have such opportunities, will end up on the battlefront in greater numbers than their percentage of the total population. This is complete nonsense; the front lines in the war on terror are the special ops units, which are predominantly white and middle class (and up). For instance, look here to see the graduation pictures of Ranger School classes (many of the Army SF and Rangers attend this school). For reference sake, blacks are 11% of the population and around 30-35% of the Army -- disproportionately in the personnel and logistics fields. You will find black faces in under 5% of all recent Ranger photos... so wherever Army blacks are, it isn't in the front lines in disproportionate numbers. (Blacks in SF and SEALS and such tend to be middle class and pretty much interchangeable with their white teammates in terms of upbringing, too). Every war the Left trots out this same rubbish. It was rubbish in Vietnam, it's even bigger rubbish today, when there's no draft.
3. The irony of someone who hates the Constitution waving the Constitution.
4. Lately, Helen told an MIT audience, she wakes up trying to decide, "Who am I going to hate today?" Looks like she answered her question the way Democrats often do, "the soldiers." Her prerogative in a free country.
5. It was her party's disloyalty, lack of patriotism and unreliability on national security that produced its onrushing stint in the powerless political opposition. A more intelligent person would realise that and not continue to play Tokyo Rose. People like Thomas on the enemy side are worth many divisions to ours.

I could go on and on, but why? Helen Thomas is what Boy George will be in fifty years, if he goes back on drugs.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F