Clark County School board agrees to change opt out policy for THIS YEAR

[seafey]

On Thursday, November 17th, Project Counter-Recruitment attended yet another Clark County School Board meeting. At the last school board meeting we attended, Dr. Orci had said they would not be making any changes for this year, but they would be making a new form and procedure for next year. Between meetings, we contacted Dr. Orci and discussed informing the parents and students *this* year of how the process works. At this Thursday's meeting we supported Dr. Orci's idea (expressed on the phone between meetings) of notifying parents this year of how to opt out by publishing an article in the January Nevada Family magazine and creating an insert for all high school newsletters informing parents and students of how to opt out. After public comments, Dr. Orci said they would be implementing the new policies and the new form for the second semester of *this* *year*!!! This is a major milestone for PCRLV and for the parents and students of Clark County schools. We thank all the journalists and activists and parents and students who have made this happen! (Next, onto the ASVAB issue...)

We also spoke on the issue of the U.S. Army sponsored Planning For Life "career" event where ESL students of Rancho High School were bussed off-campus to listen to the highest ranking female Hispanic military officer speak to them about joining the military. Larry Mason admitted to having been there but stated that he didn't realize it was ESL students only. The speaker, Retired Army Lt. Col. Consuelo Kickbush, spoke to the students in Spanish. Dr. Orci hadn't heard anything about this event until we presented it at the school board, and he and others wanted to get to the bottom of this and find out more about what happened. We asked specifically who puts these events on and how do we find out when they're happening?

[fed-up]

1. Great Job!!! I am working on revising our OPT-OUT form which changed

this year.

Next I work on getting all the military advertising out of the classrooms which include: chemistry tables, mouse pads and calendars.

I also just found out that the Marines were leading the football team's training at the beginning of the year and that the marine is supplying color guards? during the football games.

I have suggested to our counter-recruitment group that they pass out flyers about enlisting and about signing the opt-out form at football games at the beginning of next year. This year I will try to get them passed out at basketball games.

The group will also be doing tabling/leafleting during Career week at the end of spring semester.

[seafey]

2. Great- what county are you in?

There's a statewide list- we're working with Washoe and Douglas counties right now, and the ACLU is helping us as well.

Also, our next focus is the ASVAB testing which, if this issue is left alone, makes all opting out headaches worthless because if you opt out and then take the ASVAB in school, well, you've just given the military not only your name, address, and phone number, but also what you're good at, what you like, what you want to do, and basically: HOW TO TAILOR A SALESPITCH FOR A MILITARY CAREER SPECIFICALLY TO YOU.

So that's our next thing. Then JROTC, and god, I didn't know that about sports training and branding... our job is never going to be done.

Anyway, you should join the nevada_counter_recruitment Yahoo list and hook in... Thanks for the quick reply! :)

www.pcrlasvegas.org

[fed-up]

3. I am in Butte County, California

I still haven't figured out how to do lists as my son has a yahoo account already.

I do have a website of how many students from each school (nationwide, I think) have been recruited, but I will have to wait until I get back later this evening to find it. I will bookmark this thread to reply.

I should go to the ACLU, but here is what I did a few weeks ago.

http://www.newsreview.com/issues/chico/2005-11-03/news.asp

Up against the wall
Army uses chicanery to get student info
By Tom Gascoyne

Susan Sullivan says the U.S. Army tried to pull a fast one on Chico High
students last week when it erected a rock climbing wall on campus and then
asked those who wanted to participate to sign a waiver and hand over a
little personal information.

The school administration agrees--the Army was in the wrong and deceptive
about its motives.....

[seafey]

4. Hey that is great work!!

Wow- you really made a difference on the ground. If you call your local ACLU, and if they're anything like ours, they'll help you raise hell about it. Also maybe this group would support you too:
http://www.chico-peace.org/

Good luck to you...