SEC. 9528. ARMED FORCES RECRUITER ACCESS TO STUDENTS AND STUDENT RECRUITING INFORMATION.
(a) POLICY.
(1) ACCESS TO STUDENT RECRUITING INFORMATION - Notwithstanding section 444(a)(5)(B) of the General Education Provisions Act and except as provided in paragraph (2), each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide, on a request made by military recruiters or an institution of higher education, access to secondary school students names, addresses, and telephone listings.
(2) CONSENT - A secondary school student or the parent of the student may request that the student’s name, address, and telephone listing described in paragraph (1) 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.
(3) SAME ACCESS TO STUDENTS - Each local educational agency receiving assistance under this Act shall provide military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as is provided generally to post secondary educational institutions or to prospective employers of those students.
(b) NOTIFICATION - The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall, not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, notify principals, school administrators, and other educators about the requirements of this section.
(c) EXCEPTION - The requirements of this section do not apply to a private secondary school that maintains a religious objection to service in the Armed Forces if the objection is verifiable through the corporate or other organizational documents or materials of that school.
(d) SPECIAL RULE - A local educational agency prohibited by Connecticut State law (either explicitly by statute or through statutory interpretation by the State Supreme Court or State Attorney General) from providing military recruiters with information or access as required by this section shall have until May 31, 2002, to comply with that requirement.
It's your child…It's a matter of life and death…
Shouldn't you be in the loop?
Q. Can you answer this question correctly?
By law, schools are required to release information about your son or daughter to:
a) Colleges and universities
b) U.S. military recruiters
c) Telemarketers
A. The correct answer is b. As early as 9th grade, your son or daughter's name, phone number, and address are given to the military. It's part of the 'No Child Left Behind' law. Not obeying this law can result in your school losing it's funding. In other words, the schools have no choice.
Q. Shouldn't I have a say in the matter?
A. You should have a say, and you do.
Q. How?
A. First off, if you are comfortable with your son or daughter being contacted by the military, then you do not have to do anything - though you might want to check out sources to learn more about how military recruiters operate.If you do not want the military getting information about you child, this is your right, and there is a way to prevent it. You, or your child, need to write a letter to your school's principal stating that your child's information should not be given to the military. It is that simple. It's called "opting out." (We recommend you write a letter at the beginning of each school year.) We have attached a letter you can use in this brochure.
Q. Why am I just now finding out about this?
A. That's a hard question to answer. Perhaps school districts are just so busy taking care of other matters. Perhaps they are still figuring out how to deal with this fairly new legal requirement. Perhaps you missed the fine print in a handout that came home at some point. And, let's face it, perhaps the schools are a bit intimidated when the U.S. Military comes knocking at their door. Whatever the reason, we think joining the military is a decision of life-or-death importance. That's why we thought we would share this information with you. We hope you will pass on the favor by spreading the work to other parents - anywhere in the U.S.
Q. Who are we?
A. We are concerned parents and citizens like you. For further information, contact the Suffolk Peace Network at 631-875-8647 or email spncr@active.ws
Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)
About 14,000 high schools nationwide give a test to students — administered by the US military — ASVAB. It is an admissions and placement test for the US military. All persons enlisting in the US military are required to take the ASVAB. It determines whether a potential recruit is considered qualified for the military and certain jobs.
Schools are NOT required to give the test that is offered by the Pentagon at no charge to the school.
What they tell you: ASVAB is a voluntary test that "will help you make career decisions."
What it really is: The ASVAB test is a way for military recruiters to get information on students taking the test, for recruitment purposes.
Why would someone take this test? You will be told it will tell you what career skills you have, however, there are no connections between ASVAB scores and civilian career skills
Before taking the ASVAB test: Students must sign a document. Scores will not be processed unless it is signed. Even though most of the students who take the test are minors, the military considers their signature legally binding. This signature releases all of the students’ personal information: name, address, phone number and social security number, into a computer listing used for recruitment.
**CHOOSE OPTION 8** If you do not choose Option 8, then all your information will be given out to the military. Recruiters don’t mention Option 8, but when taking the ASVAB, Option 8 protects a student’s personal information from the military recruiters. All schools that offer the ASVAB have Option 8 for students to choose. Schools can also use Option 8 to Opt-Out the entire school.
COMPLETE THIS FORM TO EXERCISE
YOUR FEDERAL RIGHT TO PRIVACY
Section 9528 request
I, _____________________________________________, hereby exercise my federal right, granted me by the Congress of the United States under Section 9528 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (and any other applicable state, federal, or local law or any school policy), and hereby request that the name, address and telephone listing of
__________________________________________ (name of student),
a current student at
_________________________________________(name of school),
not be released to military recruiters without prior written parental consent. I do, however, consent to the disclosure of such information to institutions of higher education other than military schools.
Signed by: _____student _____parent (check one)
___________________________________________signature/date
___________________________________________print name
___________________________________________street address
___________________________________________city/state/zip
Note to students/parents: This certificate can be signed by either a student or a parent. A student does not need parental consent to submit this certificate. Any secondary school student, regardless of age, can sign this certificate and is authorized by law to submit this request. Parents can also sign this certificate for any secondary school student. When completed, submit this form to the school's administration office.
Note to school administrators: You are required by federal law to comply with this request.
