The marines just made my son's entire HS class fill out paperwork...

[Iwasthere]

... he said the teacher went along with it and my son put down his name and address and was asked about interest. They said they would be giving everyone free T-shirts to those that filled it out.

What do I do? they can't do that can they? The students were left with the impression they HAD to do it.

[Goblinmonger]

1. Thank NCLB

What a frickin load.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Did you sight a request that his name will not be given to DOD

if you did not...

that said, I have a problem with these trends... if they are gonna do that, I want a national draft, universal no exceptions, yep the bush twins in uniform

[Goblinmonger]

29. Depending on your state and school district

you may not have the right to not give the name to the DOD with that rejection also including a restriction on giving the name to everyone (like colleges). Sucks, but true. Schools are not required to divide that question and can include a ban on info to the DOD as a ban on info to anyone that requests it.

I hate our current government.

[MissB]

3. Complain to the principal

the superintendent and the school board. Oh, and start with the teacher.

Does your school district allow access such as this to students? Usually there are some rules in place as to where and when the recruiters can approach and talk to kids.

[northzax]

10. under NCLB, parents have to opt-out

in advance of recruiting or having information given to recruiters.

[MissB]

20. The big district in our area prohibits them from recruiting such as this.

They can be on the school grounds after school, but they would not be allowed in the building during school hours and certainly not in a classroom. NCLB doesn't open recruiting wide open like this - if this is the school's own policy, then the OP has a choice to try to restrict the contact down to the absolute minimum. NCLB just makes the parent's opt out of any contact with the military- iirc, it is up to the school districts to decide how much contact the recruiters have.

[Beaverhausen]

4. you can sign a form to make them leave your child along

http://themmob.org/lmca/

[Monkeyman]

13. Sign This Please then take a copy to the School

[soothsayer]

5. well if they promised free shirts to the suckers who did it, it implies that

you could choose NOT to do it and not get the shirt, so hard to argue that there was no choice in the matter.

[EFerrari]

55. It's pretty easy for big guys in uniform to coerce kids. n/t

[BattyDem]

62. The marine says, "fill out the form" and the teacher goes along with it

How many kids would realize that they don't have to do it? How many kids would understand that they're not going to get in trouble for refusing? :shrug:

We're adults - it's easy to say they could have chosen not to do it, but think back to your high school days. How many times did you refuse to do something a teacher told you to do?

Teachers should be REQUIRED to tell the students that filling out the form is optional and military recruiters should NOT be allowed to bribe kids with a t-shirt or any other gift. :grr:

[RL3AO]

6. If the school accepts federal funding

the military can recruit, but I'm not sure about what happened at your kids school.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. You have to opt him out

every year. The deadline is October. You can either write a letter to the schhol superintendent or fill out a form you can find online. PM me and I can look for the form later. I am on lunch now and have to get back to work.

[progressoid]

64. I was going to do that but read that they just ignore it

Was I misinformed?

[NNN0LHI]

8. If he is 18 years old your son may have just enlisted?

I would check into this if it were my son.

Don

[shaniqua6392]

23. You are exactly right.

I have heard of this happening in recruiting centers...But wow. I have to make sure I tell my daughter that if they come in her high school class she is never to sign anything or give any information. The schools already give all information on each child in a school that receives federal funding to the military. What more could they have possibly asked these kids to write down?

[Hobarticus]

9. Call your principal and your school board, ASAP...

Run this all the way up the flagpole, and don't take "we'll look into this" for an answer.

In context, what was this for? One of those climbing walls for gym class? Or a regular classroom? What were they doing there in the first place?

[IChing]

11. What class was this?

Why was he there? No they didn't have to sign and you need to get this data mining back.

[AndyA]

12. Call the school system superintendent.

Don't bother complaining to the teacher or the school principal. Go all the way to the top. This should not be permitted in schools, especially if the students think it's mandatory.

I'm glad it's not my kid, I'd be over at the recruiting office asking for the paperwork back.

:mad:

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

14. It's just a t-shirt

not a battle dress uniform. He didn't enlist, right?

No, the marines should not be able to force students to do anything. They can make a sales pitch and that's about it.

On the other hand, what high-schooler can resist a new t-shirt?

[aquart]

33. It's not just a t-shirt. It's private, family information.

[Raven]

15. Be sure your son understands that he is NOT to meet with

a recruiter without you present. They will definately follow up and you need to prepare your son for that.

[NightWatcher]

16. tell them all to smoke pot

this is a grievous disaster. Please lock up your kids and keep them away from this murderer, Bush.

[maveric]

17. Army recruiters came to my kid's 10th grade class with paperwork.

Being the defiant,free-thinker and pacifist he is, my kid refused to fill out the papers.
And got put on "referral"/detention for being "disrespectful" to the nice Army man.

[King Coal]

28. If that happened to my kid I would probably spend the night in the can.

I would go down to the school and tell them how the cow ate the cabbage.

[Goblinmonger]

34. "how the cow at the cabbage"

I haven't heard that idiom in a LONG time. Thanks for reminding me about it. Did you know it's origins (if you didn't, you'll like the phrase even more)?

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/5/messages/1077.html

THAT'S HOW THE COW ATE THE CABBAGE - "An expression to indicate the speaker is laying it on the line, telling it like it is, getting down to brass tacks - with the connotation of telling someone what he or she needs to know but probably doesn't want to hear. According to Little Rock attorney Alston Jennings, who submitted this southernism to Richard Allen's February 2, 1991, 'Our Town' column in the Arkansas Gazette, the expression has its roots in a story about an elephant that escaped from the zoo and wandered into a woman's cabbage patch. The woman observed the elephant pulling up her cabbages with its trunk and eating them. She called the police to report that there was a cow in her cabbage patch pulling up cabbages with its tail. When the surprised police officer inquired as to what the cow was doing with the cabbages, the woman replied, 'You wouldn't believe me if I told you!'" From "Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins" by Robert Hendrickson (Fact on File, New York, 1997)

[femmedem]

61. !

What a visual. :rofl:

[renie408]

59. I don't know precisely how cows eat cabbage, but I would be down there taking the school apart. n/t

[aquart]

35. What income level schools are getting these visits?

Are wealthy private schools exempt?

[maveric]

38. Nope! Inner-city San Diego.

You wont see them coming to Phillips Andover I bet.

[MemphisTiger]

52. Only if the school tells them NO

[AX10]

39. Personally, I would go them personally.

and make these god damn bureaucrats pull the detention and APOLOGIZE in writing or I would sue the shit out of them! Personally, I have no respect for government workers. They are the embodiment of bureaucrats!

[cdb]

45. disrespectful my ass

Good for your kid!! If only everybody did that...

[gollygee]

49. I'd have a pretty strong word with the principal about that

it's hard to stand up to heavy-handed recruitment techniques and remain "respectful". He has the right to not fill the paperwork AND not have to so much as raise his voice when he says "no".

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Cannon-fodder needed.

[unhappycamper]

19. Children are NOT required to fill out military paperwork.

Here's a list of counter recruitment orgs by state. Give them a call - I'll bet what these folks are doing is illegal.

Here's counter-recruitment basics.

[uppityperson]

26. Thanks for posting those links. I think this was illegal.

Military can recruit on campus, but cannot make anything mandatory. NCLB means military is allowed your child's personal info UNLESS you opt out, if the school gets fed funding (ie-not a private school in some cases) BUT they still cannot make this mandatory for a child to attend. 3 cheers for counter-recruiters, give them a call and they can help. It is what they, including me, do.

[blondeatlast]

21. You can opt-out: LEAVE MY CHILD ALONE! Info following:

http://www.themmob.org/lmca/index.html

Spread the word--this is NOT required, but you must opt-out BEFORE they come to the school.

All parents need to know about this before they come to the school; please, DU spread the word--this is NOT required.

I'm sorry that this happened.

[gollygee]

22. If they said they were giving free T-shirts to those that filled them out

then it was pretty strongly implied that not everyone had to fill them out.

I don't like that the military can so actively recruit in high schools, but I don't see that this is worse than any other high school recruitment.

I'm afraid to say that if he *did* fill it out he is going to get some heavy-handed recruitment phone calls. He might want you to screen his calls for a while.

[wakeme2008]

24. Interest Going to Gay Bars

:evilgrin:

[lonestarnot]

25. I BETTER NOT HEAR OF THIS AT MY KIDS SCHOOL!

[Waya]

27. If you don't have it already.....

.......get Caller-ID...when it says U.S. Government...that's them....put it on voicemail.

[LiberalFighter]

30. 10 Ways to Protect Your Child From the ASVAB

10 Ways to Protect Your Child From the ASVAB

To keep the military's hands off your child, just say no to the ASVAB. Here's how:

1. Call your child's school and ask if and when the ASVAB will be given.

2. If the answer is yes, ask what the consequences will be for students who refuse to take it (there shouldn't be any).

3. Ask if the school will require written parental consent before students can take this military "aptitude" test, the way it does for field trips to museums, etc.

4. Ask what arrangements are provided for students not taking the test (what they'll be doing during the time when the test is being administered). The school should have an interesting learning or recreational experience planned for opt-out students, not something that feels like (and is) punishment (going to the office, sitting silently while others take the test, or being given busy work).

5. Ask what the procedure is for "opting out." Some schools require that the student go to the guidance office to sign an "opt out" statement. Students usually have to sign something stating their refusal to take the ASVAB, which may be accompanied by legal-sounding words, written or stated, such as "I hereby state that I am refusing to take the ASVAB aptitude test…." At some schools, the burden is on the parents ("let the buyer (parent) beware") to figure out what the ASVAB really is, then write letters refusing consent for their children to take the test.

6. Take all steps required by the school to keep your child safe from the ASVAB scam.

7. If the burden is on the child to refuse the test (which can be very difficult due to peer pressure or adult insinuations that it's required), you'll need to reassure your child ahead of time that it really is safe to refuse. Sometimes what's said in opt-out procedures can intimidate students: "Do you realize that you are refusing to take an important test?," "All your classmates are taking this test; we have nothing for you to do while they're taking it," "Okay, but I hope you understand that if you don't take the test your aptitudes won't be on file," or even "Why don't you want to serve your country?"

8. Spread the word to all the parents and children you know. Educate them about the the ASVAB's real purpose.

9. If you can, talk with other parents and sympathetic educators about arranging an ASVAB Parental Advisory, which could be a one-time talk at the next PTA meeting, or a discussion group announced at school and held in a nearby library.

10. Suggest that the school hold an honest informational session for all students on the ASVAB, its purpose, how the military could use students' information (now and in a military draft) – and how students can opt out of the test. Every school, if it's really doing its job, should encourage students to think for themselves and understand their rights. Schools should be places of learning, not tools of the Pentagon.

[hootinholler]

63. Has it really come to this?

I graduated a long time ago, '78. Back then the ASVAB was totally voluntary, you had to know that you needed to take it. In other words you had to know about it, to find it. My estimate is less than 1/4 of my class took it.

I was pretty sure I wanted to enlist as a sophomore, and positive as a junior and enlisted the day after my 17th birthday. To explain, I had a thing for electronics and that path was apropos to get training at my income level.

-Hoot

[TreasonousBastard]

31. Yes, they can do that, and...

it is often with the eager participation of the school. The school may participate eagerly because TPTB approve of military recruiting on campus or they may fear loss of some funding if they restrict it, but the result is the same.

So, complaining to the school management will rarely have any effect on this unless there is a huge mob of parents and kids complaining. Never forget just how deeply instilled is "service to the country" and how many sunshine patriots are on school boards.

But, no kid is required to fill out the form, although I'm not sure if they are required to fill it out truthfully if they start. A phony name and address could get you a free shirt without aggravating recruitment calls.

And, some teachers I've known have thrown the recruiters out of their classrooms, so approaching individual teachers is not a bad idea, although there will usually be someone on the faculty who thinks this is a great idea.

[Bjornsdotter]

32. Just a head's up

....a Marine showed up at our door looking for my daughter. She was just 17 when he came and I refused to let him speak with her. I told him my daughter was a minor and I would not allow it.

She did not fill out any papers (we assume someone filled them out in her name).

I would go in and confront the teacher and the principal; take someone with you if you feel you will blow up.

Good luck

[underseasurveyor]

36. And if he refused to fill out this paperwork?

What would the consequences have been?

We have to teach our children that there are times when one must refuse to do what one is told. This would be one of those times.

Some label us as 'troublemakers', and damn proud of it:patriot:

[LiberalFighter]

42. Find out the name of the recruiter and use his name AND...

if there are any questions such as whether they are gay/lesbian say yes. If do drugs... say yes.

Give different address/phone etc.

Or use George Bush for the name.

Or use the name of the principal or school superintendent if they support the recruiters.

[Breeze54]

50. Don't fill the paper out! Easiest!

I've been drilling that into my son's head!

Never sign anything for any recruiters at your school! :grr:

[underseasurveyor]

60. And that's it, plain and simple

:applause:

[LiberalFighter]

37. Leave My Child Alone

http://themmob.org/lmca/">Leave My Child Alone

[global1]

40. This Is What * Means When He Says "Leave No Child Behind"....nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

41. I already have my "Leave my child alone" papers filled out and ready to mail. My son has ORDERS to

NEVER talk to recruiters and Never, EVER, EVER fill out ANY form they ask him to fill out.

Here's a link:

http://tools.leavemychildalone.org/index.cfm?event=showContent&contentid=63

You have to mail one form to the freakin' Pentagon and another to the school.

[nosmokes]

43. damn, that sucks! we don't need to militarise our schools FCOL

raise hell and get other parents to raise hell with you. get some counter-recruitment going. good luck.

[Breeze54]

44. GO SEE THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR!!! ASAP!!

Students and Recruiting
How Do Students Get Recruited?

In the US, public schools are frequent targets of military advertising, military youth programs,
and visits by military recruiters. The No Child Left Behind Act guarantees recruiters the right
to private contact information for all secondary school students, so that students may also be
contacted at home. Many school administrators and teachers are unaware of, or turn a blind eye
to recruiter abuses of their privileges.

Recruiters employ a variety of ways to get personal contact information, including student lists
from schools, JROTC, a centralized DOD recruiting database made up of bought lists and information
gathered by the government, the ASVAB test and other standardized tests like the SATs.

I don't want my child contacted by military recruiters. What can I do?

http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/default.htm

**** OPT-OUT ****

By opting-out you can reduce the chance of personal contact information falling into the hands of recruiters.

Contact your school to find out how to opt-out of the student lists given to recruiters.

**** Schools are obligated by law to remove your name if you request it.*****

If your school has not developed an opt-out procedure and form, you can try using the generic
form (en español) above.

**** Download our Opt-Out form (RTF) ****
http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/militarism-in-schools/opt-out.rtf

Why You Need to Opt Out

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 contains a little-known provision that threatens
the federal funding of any school refusing to turn over all students' personal contact
information to military recruiters upon demand.
More >


*** Protect Your Privacy - Oppose JAMRS ****

The Pentagon has compiled a database of private information on individuals who are of recruiting
age under the Joint Advertising and Market Research Studies (JAMRS) program. This program also
tracks youth attitudes towards military service and conducts targeted advertising to increase
recruitment levels.

For more information please visit: http://www.privacycoalition.org/nododdatabase/letter.html

**** Oppose ASVAB Testing ****

The ASVAB is the admissions and placement test for the US military. All persons enlisting
in the US military are required to take ASVAB. The military claims that it is also a useful
tool for determining civilian career placement and promotes its use in schools.

* If you do take the ASVAB and wish to prevent your school from releasing ASVAB scores to the
military (along with personal contact information), you can either refuse to take the ASVAB or
insist that your school pick option 8 which allows for no release of test information to recruiters
(the default is option 1 - no special instructions - which allows recruiters to use the information
any way they like).

More information on ASVAB >


------------------

Before You Enlist Training Manual

http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/resources/TrainingManual.htm

Before You Enlist

The Before you Enlist and After You Say No training manual teaches trainers how to
offers a rational voice to help counter misleading recruitment practices and promises.
Find out how you can order it. More

[LiberalFighter]

46. Are the recruiters making themselves at home at the school?

Maybe if students don't like their presence they could do a protest or to avoid repercussions from the principal do safe but obvious sabotage. By safe I mean they don't get caught and is not dangerous.

Do they have handouts? Dump them or replace them. Best way to replace them is to insert them in the mix so when they hand them out they don't know they are handing them out.

[LiberalFighter]

47. What happens if the military loses the database they have on all children age 16-25?

[gollygee]

48. The current government only loses emails

I bet this info is pretty damn save.

[LiberalFighter]

53. Did you forget about the VA losing computers with data on Vets more than once?

[gollygee]

57. Oh yeah!

I wasn't thinking of that.

I was just being snarky. Still, I bet info on potential recruits is pretty well backed up and safe.

[MemphisTiger]

51. You can choose not to answer, they can't MAKE you fill out

anything, only ask nicely. It's up to your son to say no or write down a fake name and address

[jwirr]

54. Threaten to sue the school and the teacher. If necessary sue.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

56. A relevant Mark Twain quote.....

"First God invented idiots. That was for practice. Then He invented school boards." -- Mark Twain

[Imagevision]

58. They gave them the American War Game video too...right?!!

[pnwmom]

65. Was that a math class assignment? English? History?

Or what? I thought they were supposed to be learning something in high school, not being recruited.

[vanboggie]

66. Recruiting vehicle 2002

My daughter's drama class was escorted to a recruiting vehicle to play video war games in 2002. They were told it would teach them something about acting (how lame is that). She was a senior at the time, politically savvy and very anti-war. This was in the buildup to war period. She refused to play the games and they told her she couldn't leave till she filled out a form, including her social security #!! She gave them all fake info and dotted the "i's" with peace signs on their frickin' form. It was so disgusting.

Fast forward a couple of years and they scored a recruit with my niece's son in the same high school. He wouldn't listen to us, but since he has been in and talked returning Marines on base, he got a dose of reality before he left. Soldiers who have been there can convince like a great-aunt can't. Sadly, he left for Iraq a few weeks ago because of a decision he made due to the recruiting hype in high school.

These *sshole recruiters should be charged with negligent manslaughter - actually worse.

[AX10]

68. Lawsuit time!

[LuckyLib]

67. A few calls to private high schools would get you the information that there's not a recruiter

allowed within miles. None. Zero. Zip. Parents would wig out. Public schools need to get some cojones and defy that damned NCLB recruiting BS, demanding to be taken to court by the feds. The federal government is such a mess they'd never get to it.