Military Recruitment NCLB

There were recent changes made by congress concerning military recruitment of high school students.

Congress has passed two major pieces of legislation that generally require local educational agencies  receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to give military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as they provide to post secondary institutions or to prospective employers. LEAs are also generally required to provide students' names, addresses, and telephone listings to military recruiters, when requested.

There were many Q AND A's concerning the boundaries of military recruitment in secondary schools. As the following:

(1)  Q.What is the effective date for these military recruiter access requirements?

A. While there are differences in the effective date provisions for 10 U.S.C. § 503 and § 9528 of the ESEA, both provisions apply to all LEAs receiving ESEA funds by not later than July 1, 2002.

Q.What are the requirements of § 9528 of the ESEA?

A.Each LEA that receives funds under the ESEA must comply with a request by a military recruiter or an institution of higher education for secondary students' names, addresses, and telephone numbers, unless a parent has "opted out" of providing such information. (See below for additional information.)

Section 9528 also requires LEAs that receive funds under the ESEA to provide military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as they generally provide to postsecondary institutions or prospective employers. For example, if the school has a policy of allowing postsecondary institutions or prospective employers to come on school property to provide information to students about educational or professional opportunities, it must afford the same access to military recruiters.

Q. Under § 9528 of the ESEA, what notification must LEAs provide to parents before disclosing names, addresses, and telephone numbers of secondary students to military recruiters and officials of institutions of higher education?

A. Under FERPA, an LEA must provide notice to parents of the types of student information that it releases publicly. This type of student information, commonly referred to as "directory information," includes such items as names, addresses, and telephone numbers and is information generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. The notice must include an explanation of a parent's right to request that the information not be disclosed without prior written consent. Additionally, § 9528 requires that parents be notified that the school routinely discloses names, addresses, and telephone numbers to military recruiters upon request, subject to a parent's request not to disclose such information without written consent. A single notice provided through a mailing, student handbook, or other method that is reasonably calculated to inform parents of the above information is sufficient to satisfy the parental notification requirements of both FERPA and § 9528. The notification must advise the parent of how to opt out of the public, nonconsensual disclosure of directory information and the method and timeline within which to do so. (1)

(1)- http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/hottopics/ht-10-09-02a.html

Pros and Cons of Military Recruitment in Schools

The Military will use any means necessary to tell you the pros of why they are trying to recruit you without telling you the exact details.

(1)Pros:

War. No matter where your opinion of it falls, we can agree that the war is currently being waged on two fronts. We can also agree that our fighting force, men and women who grew up right next door to you and me, are dying every single day.

Taking these two facts into account, we can come to the conclusion that a larger fighting force, equipped with more soldiers, more weapons, and more advanced technology, will decrease the number of deaths on the front lines.

This means that literally, every time young men or women who wish to better themselves enlist in the armed forces, lives are saved.    

But to the few who excel above the mold, who pursue a higher calling, I urge you to listen to what recruiters have to say.

If you can do that, you may become the next American who decides to stand up for what you believe in, instead of letting your values be pushed to the side.

Cons:
When a crisply dressed military recruiter appears in my classroom to give his spiel, mixed feelings arise.  A part of me rejoices because I know when recruiters come in, it’s a free day. However, feelings of irritation also arise. Recruiters also target students (mostly male) who may not have a supportive family life.  Recruiters look for guys who long to find a place where they belong. The recruiters convince students that the military is just the place to find the brotherhood they have been missing all of their lives. 

I understand that everyone wants to be accepted. It’s natural for humans to crave social bonds with others, but kids should know that recruiters are not their friends; they are just doing their job.  Let’s not forget that they are salesmen trying to pitch their product to impressionable teenagers. You sign up, and they can get paid.  

I know that for some kids, the military can help them reach their goals. I also know that they need to gain information about their desired military branch, but do that on someone else’s time, not at school.(1)

(1)-http://snntoday.snn.pcsb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=149:military-recruiters-in-high-school-pros-and-cons&catid=44:opinion&Itemid=78