PARENTS***Military Recruiters and the Opt-Out Form***

[babylonsister]

Military Recruiters and the Opt-Out Form
Submitted by davidswanson on Wed, 2007-08-15 23:39. Nonviolent Resistance

By Yvette and Tim Coil

Today was High School registration for my daughter who is now in the 10th grade. I register my son next week, he's in the 11th grade. Once again I'm reminded that I have to fill out an opt-out form, each year I have to submit a new one. Many of the people in her school didn't know what the opt-out form was and I find it scary to think that they are OK with recruiters contacting the children in this High School. I offered to print several copies on my own dime for them to hand out but they said that it wasn't necessary. They went on to say that when asked they'll just have their parents sign a letter stating they didn't want their child contacted and keep the letter in a safe place. Not good enough for me, and maybe you should think about it also if you have a High School aged child. We turned in a copy to the school, the superintendent and kept a copy for our own records.

With registration going on nation-wide, if you have a child or know of someone with a High School aged child I implore you to sign the form on the links below and turn it into your child's school no later than the first week of school. Some schools state that if it's not turned in within that time then they have no power over whether or not the recuriters contact your child. I think that's a lie since I once worked for a school district and know that is simply untrue. However, those who are for sending our kids to war will say what they want without accountability, and they are expecting us to follow like sheep. Please err on the side of caution and turn it in before the first week of school is over.

What is an opt-out form you ask? It is a form that you must sign and give to your student's school so that the recruiters cannot contact your child, take your child off of school grounds and convince your child to join the military (this form is for High School students but you can sign one for your middle school student too just to be sure). You can find the form and an explanation at http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/default.htm. The English version http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/opt-out.rtf and Spanish version http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/optar-fuera.rtf .

According to the AFSC website: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 contains a provision that forces secondary schools to turn over students' name, address and telephone number to military recruiters upon demand. Parents and students have a right to "opt-out".

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, Section 9528 requires that all secondary schools release contact information about students to military recruiters upon request.
The same section specifies that parents may "request that the student's name, address, and telephone listing. not be released without prior written parental consent, and the local educational agency or private school shall notify parents of the option to make a request and shall comply with any request."
When schools inform students of their right, they are complying with the stated requirements of No Child Left Behind. This helps them maintain eligibility for federal funding.
The law states that a parent or a student may request that their contact information be withheld from recruiters.

more...

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/25864

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. I opted both of my kids and still get calls from recruiters. If the school didn't

give their info over to the govt. my guess is that colleges that they looked at did.

[Donnachaidh]

3. I'm going to send a copy certified mail to my county school board

I'm also opting my son out through his school. Thanks Babylonsister for posting this!

[kas125]

14. To keep from getting calls, you also have to have your children

removed from the JAMRS database. The opt out form for that is here:
http://www.mothersagainstthedraft.org/files/forms/JAMR%20Opt-Out%20Form.pdf

[shaniqua6392]

2. I have a daughter going into 10th grade.

Thank you for the reminder. I did not do it last year, but I will certainly do it this year. Blessings and peace.

[LiberalinNC]

4. Thanks for infor...I forgot I had to complete an opt-out form yearly!

[HockeyMom]

5. Daughter turned 18 in her senior year

Although I signed the opt out form, about two weeks after her birthday the calls started coming non stop.

Something to think about.

[acmavm]

6. Thank you. My son is 14 going into 10th grade. I was wondering

where to get a copy of this form.

Again, thanks.

[beyurslf]

7. At my kids' school, the opt-out form was a part of the acket they gave every parent.

Honestly, I think a lot of parents just sign every form in there without looking over them much. I imagine a lot of people "opted-out" if that is the case. :)

[AllegroRondo]

8. Thank You! Im printing out a couple dozen.

My daughter's high school registration is tomorrow, Im sure her friends' parents will be interested.

[Crayson]

9. Please explain to a foreigner

Can't you just tell your children "Don't talk with those people and walk away!" ?

Do they have any power over your children? Like teachers? Can they order them around? Go into a classroom, get them out and "have a talk" to brainwash them? Reminds me of those secret classes mentioned in a book, where they would only teach them what the government wanted without the parents knowing.

Do they just hang out on school grounds and can be bypassed?
Or can they force your children to spend time with them?

[rosesaylavee]

12. I have told my son to just ignore them

and walk away. Most kids are instructed from an early age to be polite to adults and to respond when spoken to... there is also that extra kicker that our military is respected for protecting us in times of war and that those who wear the uniform are to be respected.

My son reads a lot and gets heavy doses of what's wrong with the country here at home so for him, its not a problem. Other friends of his - have been persuaded to join up.

[mopinko]

10. my drop out was off the book, but he needed an id to get on a

plane. he is 21. he doesn't drive. but he wants to go to a gamers convention. he and hubby thought i was a little paranoid that i didn't really want him to get his license, or his ged for that matter, as long as bush was in office. not that i leaned on him about, just that i didn't care if he got back in school. better unemployed on my couch than dead.
so, he is going to this thing, and went and got his state id. bingo, selective service card came about a week later.
just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not looking for fresh meat to throw in the grinder.

[rosesaylavee]

11. Thanks for posting this - I had forgotten

about it. Sheesh. I despise these people.

[CrispyQ]

13. I'm sending this article to all my friends with children.

Thanks.