Posted on 02/26/2006 9:43:43 AM PST by LurkedLongEnough
MERIDEN, Conn. -- A federal rule that puts information about students into the hands of military recruiters is raising concerns among some parents.
A provision in the No Child Left Behind Act, which measures student achievement, also requires school districts to provide information about those students to military recruiters when asked.
Now, some parents in Meriden have gone on the offensive. They're spreading the word about a little-known provision that lets parents and students sign forms to opt out, keeping that information away from military recruiters.
"I really had to dig to find this information," said Lucinda Perry of Meriden, who first learned of the opt-out provision while reading a magazine article last year.
Perry and her brother, Karl Chiaro, also of Meriden, printed about 300 of the opt-out forms in English and Spanish, then distributed them to students at Meriden's Platt High School.
"Not one single kid threw it to the ground, and after a while they were coming up to me, asking for them," Perry said.
As the conflicts overseas stretch the American armed forces, many parents such as Chiaro and Perry say they worry about military recruitment practices that they believe threaten parental and privacy rights.
They also think many parents have no idea that they can block recruiters from getting information collected about their child under the federal education act.
Military recruiters have the same access to student information as job recruiters, universities and other post-high school education agencies. School districts must provide the information if they receive any federal funding under the act _ except in cases when students and their parents voluntarily opt out.
The methods that school districts use to notify parents about that option varies widely. In Meriden, it is listed in the school calendar.
"Quite frankly, my experience has been I haven't seen a lot of interest in opting out," said Jeffrey Villar, Meriden's associate superintendent for instruction.
Other districts, including Wallingford, inform parents in a newsletter.
"How many actually exercise that option, I couldn't tell you," said Wallingford School Superintendent Kenneth V. Henrici. "Some parents have opted out, but I would say it's very few."
Henrici said he recalls one recent opt-out letter that was clearly a form.
Such forms, like those handed out by Perry in Meriden, are posted on several Internet sites run by parents and others who are concerned about what they perceive to be a lack of information provided by schools.
The American Friends Service Committee has also been active in countering military recruitment and informing parents of their rights under the No Child Left Behind provision.
In the past year, the state branch of the AFSC has been targeting Hartford schools, where information about the provision is included in a batch of back-to-school information, said Kasha Ho, program director of AFSC-Connecticut.
The recruitment presence in Hartford and surrounding schools is high, she said. "Our kids tell us they're there every day."
The use of "parents" in the title seems very misleading after reading the article; typical hyperbolic tactic of the leftist CT media.
Some of those kids in Hartford would be able to escape their pithole and learn something positive while getting a useful education. It's great the recruiters are there every day - those kids are drowning in culture of unchecked murder and drug addiction with no means to get out.
When we got the federal government to "pay" for our kids education, did we think they would do it for free?
Your right, the military is probably the only hope these kids have of improving themselves.
The Slacker Generation is gonna get a big suprise once the war with China rolls around (and we all know it's coming).
What is the BIG Effing Deal?
Everyonestill has the option to say no.
These same sleazy administrators in the high schools think nothing about selling our kids info to college loan sharks and other solicitations.
Even the names of home schooled kids were taken without parent permission and sold to vendors by the school system.
Wow, this is rich! Don't these parents know that the feds have every shred of info on their kids already? What's the diff? Recruiters mainly have names/ages/year of graduation. What's the big deal? Would these parents prefer the gubment start up a draft instead?
Great cartoon! It's funny because its true.... But then again, new recruits are no less targeted by "free" credit weasels.
One part of me say"bring back the draft" I joined the USAF right after High School and it was a eye opening experince. I think that kids today should have to go thru at least Basic Training just to find out about real teamwork and serving thier country.
Another part of me say" We dont need a Draft." The military dont want it. They know that you have a better military if the people want to be there.
I would assume the "free lunch" crowd isn't required to give any personal information any longer, hence their attitude.
These parents are doing their kids no favors. The military is a great place for kids to really grow up,(or should I say mature) without mommy and daddy stepping in whenever the going gets tough.
My father served, I served, and my oldest son just returned from Iraq. Not one of us knew at 18 or 19 what we wanted to do with our lives, but we are all doing very well now. I do not think it would hurt if everyone had to put in a couple of years of service to our country. If this country is not worth it let them move somewhere more to their liking.
I couldn't agree with you more. I was an ER (army reserves) and it was a great 6 months experience. Live bullets flying over your head woke me up.
Everyone should have to do a minimum of 6 months active duty.
I did thank the urgent young 2nd Lieutenant for his complimentary offer but I had just pulled a 325 in the draft lottery and was willing to take my chances in the draft.
My boy joined the Navy at 22, before that he did the odd job, not really accomplishing much. It was a real shocker when he asked me and the Mrs. (also a Navy vet) about service life. We gave him the honest, no BS scoop, and next thing we knew off he went.
I am so proud of him now, he's really matured and become a responsible young man.
He called us a few months ago when he was in Iraq, and there was honest-to-God gunfire in the background! I asked him about it, and he just shrugged it off!!
You have to let the kids make their own way in life...we as parents can only give them the straight poop.
Your son is a hero, never let him forget it!
Keep the military in Republican hands - don't bring back the draft. :) That's why you have nutcases like Rangel arguing to actually bring back the draft, get lefties to infiltrate the military, so they could revolt the next time something like Iraq happens.
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