From my son's school district newsletter: Announcement Regarding

[ScreamingMeemie]

No Child Left Behind. Think about this title and then read the following:

Under federal law, school districts are required to release the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of high school juniors and seniors to military recruiters unless a parent objects such release. To remove your child's name from the list, contact the high school office for an "Opt Out" form at blah blah blah....

Now think about it again...No Child Left Behind....:eyes:


Of course then it goes on to list the names of the teachers who don't conform....Our middle school was a "blue ribbon school" 8 years in a row. Last year? It failed. What a bunch of bunk.

[Swede]

1. Uh oh.

Sounds like beating plowshares into swords to me.

[Pirate Smile]

2. Did they say that this was required under No Child Left Behind or just

Federal Law? I'd like to find out exactly where this is and how it got in.

Someone yesterday(I think) posted that a military recruiter called at their home for their high school age kid. What the hell?!

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. I was hoping that it was just the idiocy of a lame brained school

editor. Yes, it is true that federal law (and it is a sleeper provision of the No Child Left Behind bullshit:

http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/2002/11/24_rivera_recruiting-law.htm

snip>

High schools across the nation must provide the directory -- what one school official called "a gold mine of a list" -- under a sleeper provision in the new No Child Left Behind Act, which was enacted this year. Military officials pushed for it to counter a steady decline in the number of people who inquire about enlisting.

Many schools already allow military recruiters on campus, sponsor ROTC programs or provide student information to the Pentagon if parents give permission. But many school officials say the mandatory provision -- which puts the burden on parents to opt out rather than in -- has them in an uncomfortable position.

<snip

:wtf:

..and this is going to help my six year old son how?

[Bozita]

7. school districts lose ALL federal $$$ if they withhold the lists

It comes from either NCLB or the Patriot Act. Sorry, I can't recall which one.

[ScreamingMeemie]

8. It's the No Child Left Behind Act. At least now I see the real reason

for it. :eyes:

Link up above.

[Pirate Smile]

11. This needs to get some more press. When Shrub is out touting NCLB

people need to make sure that everyone knows this was a provision included in it.

I really don't like the idea of these recruiters calling these kids at home to talk them into signing up - "hey, see the world", "get in shape" blah, blah, blah. I don't think they are mentioning "kill and be killed".

I thought the clip on the recruiters in F911 was troubling, but this is even worse.

[annabanana]

13. Yup...No Child Left Alive n/t

[SemperEadem]

34. the school districts lost the money anyway, since bush hasn't even

bothered to fund it. Perhaps this is the reason why... get the schools to do his dirty work all nice and quiet, see... once they've delievered 'Medusa's head', they get their money.

[LWolf]

36. Its part of NCLB.

It's been there since all those dems joined republicans in signing it into law.

[Bozita]

3. "No Child Left Behind" -- the chimp is sending them to the front

The one in Iraq.

[stellanoir]

4. This stinks. . .time for all of us parents to convert to

Quakerism. . .not that the deferment for Quaker's will still necessarily apply, since college deferments will not, according to rumor control that is.

No way to know for sure but that possibility, coupled with my son's and father's international relatives are the only options I can see as an option right now.

[otohara]

5. At Least They Notified You

for the past two years my son's HS was only making announcements in the school on ONE DAY - I wrote and complained and they compromised by putting it in the summer registration package.

[salvorhardin]

9. I recall this going on for a long time before NCLB

Also, I believe they release SAT and other test scores as well. I think this has been going on for at least 20 years in one form or another.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. Yes, it was going on...but it was never a Federal Law. When I was in

high school, my district refused to allow recruiters or the release of names, addresses et al to the military. Those who were interested, would inquire...was the intelligent thought back then.

OMG...did I just say "back then"?

[Bozita]

12. Many schools did it voluntarily pre-NCLB, others didn't

I personally know 2 former HS counselors who were wined, dined, and given trips with rides on nuclear subs and fighter planes as little tokens of appreciation.

Yep, it's a blue collar suburban district.

Counselors in more affluent districts never got these percs.

[ignatius 2]

14. I called my nephews school to be taken off the call list and they

had no idea what I was talking avout. They put me through to the ROTC who told me to call the marines, army and navy recrutiing offices. Do the schools even know about this? They will probably only find out when they are forced to give up the names.

[Bozita]

16. If they get any federal $$$, they know about it

trust me

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. I bet you are right. I was thinking as I read this that they probably got

a lot of angry phone calls from parents of juniors/seniors in our district this summer.

[ignatius 2]

21. The form was called an Opt out..is that the full name? My nephews school

is a large high school in Indianapolis, so I am sure they get federal funds. Please let me know the name of the form so that I can find out what the heck is going on around that school that even the rotc didn't know.

[ScreamingMeemie]

25. Yes. It is listed as an "Opt Out" form.

:hi:

[ignatius 2]

33. Thank you so much, I will call first thing Monday.

n/t

[soup]

26. When I called my son's counselor earlier this week,

I was not advised there was an actual form to fill out. He told me to put it in writing, date it, sign it and send it in.

The man was, um, snippy -would be the right word- with me when I told him that I did not want any of my son's personal information released to the military for recruitment purposes. I also told him my son would not be taking the ASVAB if offered.

I sent in a 'This will serve as notice that...' handwritten note. Now I wonder if I need to call Mr. Snippy back on Monday - or maybe the principal, instead.
-----

Here's a Florida article from earlier this year that I saved:

Published on Monday, June 28, 2004 by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Peace Activists Plan to Counter Recruiting by Military in Palm Beach Schools
by Prashant Gopal


Recruiters pitching military service to high school students tout job training, college scholarships, foreign travel and lifelong friendships.

A Palm Beach County peace group offers a different view: Enlisting in the armed forces isn't like signing with a job placement agency. War can kill you.

>snip<
The group also intends to inform students that they can fill out a form telling the school that they don't want any personal information shared with recruiters. High schools must comply with the requirement, part of the 2001 No Child Left Behind act, or risk losing federal grants. Students and parents can opt out by submitting a written request to the school district asking that the information not be shared.

The No Child Left Behind act also guarantees that military recruiters have as much as access to schools as college and company recruiters.
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0628-06.htm

Darn it. It mentions a form, too. :grr: Guess I make more calls on Monday.

[catmandu57]

15. You can bet that this

is one part of the nclb that will recieve full funding.

[supernova]

17. No child left off the front lines

I guess is what it really means.

They are slowly but surely preparing for a new draft. They want to get people used to the idea little by little.

The dirty scum-sucking rats. :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Sydnie]

19. I did not realize this was part of this law

My son will be a junior this year and I would bet that they were not going to notify me about this part of the law nor of their compliance with it.

I am writing my letter right now, to be delivered before my son begins his junior year, putting my school district on notice that I do NOT want his information included in such a disclosure. I will also deliver it certified, return receipt requested, just in case the calls do begin to come.

As a side note, we can bet that THIS section of the law is not one of the areas that are not fully funded!

Thanks so much for the heads up on this. I will be also writing a letter to the editor of the major newspapers in my state. Other parents should know about this if they don't already.

[Bat Boy]

20. It's been going on for years.

I was hounded when I graduated High School in 1980.

My suggestion? Teach your kids to fuck with the recruiters.

I kept asking if there was a "second shift" I could sign up for, because I wanted to sleep late. I asked if there was a "casual dress" division. I asked which branch of the military was most liberal.

Eventually they stopped calling.

[Tsiyu]

24. ROFL

Too funny

No Child Left Behind

Read: "We want all our good little boys to grow up and kill A-rabs!!!!"

[Sydnie]

22. More info about the law

is here http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/hottopics/ht-10-09-02a.html .

I just picked my son up from work and asked him if anyone had asked him about opting out. He said that forms were available last year, but they were reserved for juniors and seniors so he had never read it. I know that the school never sent any notification to the parents about this, so any kid that has no clue what it is for would probably not bother with getting a form.

I made sure that he knew that he had better get one of those forms this year.

[madfloridian]

23. Teachers who don't conform to what?

That is scary stuff. I always had a hard time before I retired because I had trouble conforming to what was going on then. I would never make it now.

[CityDem]

27. Another failed program

Brought to you by Bushco.

[immoderate]

28. My experience working in schools tells me...

...that this is an easy thing for them to ignore. They send all the info and then it's "oops, didn't see your opt out form."

I wonder if there's any penalty for them sending the info against parent's wishes. If there's funding for this, I bet the schools who have to keep track of the info don't get it.

--IMM

[in_cog_ni_to]

29. Listen to THIS one. I went to my son's school yesterday

to help with his science class and they have a new security sytem. Now, THAT in and of itself doesn't bother me. I WANT my son to be safe while at school. Here is how THEIR "Big Brother" system works.....

You go to the main entrance, push a button that buzzes the office. Then on a speaker, you tell them why you are there. They push a button that unlocks the damn door. (myself and other parents stood outside for at least 5 minutes waiting to get buzzed in...in the winter during a blizzard, THAT will NOT make me happy:()Next, and THIS is what frightens me, they take your DRIVERS LICENSE and scan it into their computer to see if you are a SEX OFFENDER. SUPPOSEDLY, THAT is ALL they are looking for.

The secretary was complaining because my son's teacher had not "warned" them about the parents coming in to help and they hadn't gotten anything else done all day long. I asked, "So, you've been busy scanning parent's drivers license's all day?" She confirmed that. I told her that I felt like I was entering a government compound. She agreed and rolled her eyes! The whole thing gave me the CREEPS! Do any of you find this frightening as hell?

[ScreamingMeemie]

31. Wow. In our school, all doors are locked except for the one that

passes directly by the office. They have you sign in and take a badge that says,"Parent Volunteer" to wear or "Visitor". At the beginning of the year all volunteers are required to fill out a form with drivers license number on it for a background check. I would have no problem with this except a woman in my son's kindergarten class was forbidden from going on field trips because of a DUI she received 7 years ago. WTF?

But what is going on at your school sounds positively Orwellian.

[in_cog_ni_to]

35. The way they do it in your school

has ALWAYS been the way it was done at our schools here too. They didn't even take our drivers license before. We just told them our child's name and signed in and took a visitor or volunteer tag...until this year. I literally had CHILLS when she asked for my DRIVERS LICENSE to SCAN it. :scared: I just can't imagine that I'm the ONLY parent to find this offensive.

[Vickers]

30. They should rename it "No Child Left Behind in the Alabama Nat'l Guard"

:eyes:

[swag]

32. "No Cannon-fodder Left Behind" (snaps to Ogden from omni-bb)

[LWolf]

37. Idea:

Your letter would make a good call to the GJS in the next hour or two!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_forums

[ScreamingMeemie]

38. Very good idea!

Thanks LWolf! I'm also taking it to the convention here in Detroit tonight. :hi:

[Ithuilwen]

39. I'm a high school junior

and I received a similar such notice (also included "institutions of higher education"). You can bet that I'm going to take measures to prevent my name from being released.