PSX5Central
Non Gaming Discussions => Off-Topic => Topic started by: GigaShadow on December 03, 2002, 01:47:33 PM
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BOSTON (AP) - A little-noticed provision in a new federal education law is requiring high schools to hand over to military recruiters some key information about its juniors and seniors: name, address and phone number.
The Pentagon (news - web sites) says the information will help it recruit young people to defend their country. But the new law disturbs parents and administrators in some liberal communities that aren\'t exactly gung-ho about the armed forces.
Some say the law violates students\' privacy and creates a moral dilemma over the military\'s "don\'t ask, don\'t tell" policy on gays.
"I find it appalling that the school is sending out letters to do the job of the military," said Amy Lang, the parent of a student at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, where Coke was once banned in a protest against the soda giant\'s investments in apartheid South Africa. "It\'s clearly an invasion of my daughter\'s privacy."
The No Child Left Behind law, signed last January, pumps billions into education but also gives military recruiters access to the names, addresses and phone numbers of students in 22,000 schools. The law also says that schools must give the military the same access to their campuses that businesses and college recruiters enjoy.
School systems that fail to comply could lose federal money. The measure also applies to private schools receiving federal funding. But Quaker schools and others that have a religious objection to military service can get out of the requirement.
Students and parents who oppose the law can keep their information from being turned over to the military, but they must sign and return an "opt-out" form.
The Boston school system, which has 7,500 juniors and seniors, included the opt-out notice in a take-home student handbook, but fewer than a dozen parents opted out.
So far, 95 percent of the nation\'s schools are in compliance, said Pentagon spokeswoman Maj. Sandra Troeber. She would not identify the other schools. But Education Department spokesman Dan Langan said that the current focus is on cooperation and that no schools have been sanctioned.
Federal law already requires men to register with the Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18. The new law, however, enables the Pentagon to reach potential recruits when they are 15 or 16.
In New York City, Daniel Alterman was taken aback when his 15-year-old son, a junior at Stuyvesant High, received a recruitment letter.
"Parents are in the dark," Alterman said. "It freaked me out. I didn\'t sign up to support the military effort."
Alterman said after he opted out, his son received another letter, this one promoting scholarships. "It was very seductive. They didn\'t say anything about risk to personal safety," Alterman said.
Among those objecting to the new requirements is the New York City chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites). Executive director Donna Lieberman said that the opt-out provision is inadequate and that schools should be doing more to protect students\' privacy.
In a letter last month, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Education Secretary Rod Paige reminded high school administrators of their duty, and cited "the excellent educational opportunities the military affords, as well as an environment that encourages the development of strong character and leadership skills."
The Pentagon said better access to students could also hold down the rising costs of recruitment. Over the past decade, the cost per recruit has nearly doubled from $6,500 to $11,600.
Before the law, military recruiters could meet with students in Cambridge and Northampton on campus only if the student sought them out, and then only at a meeting attended by a guidance counselor. But Cambridge held a military career fair at the high school a month ago.
"It\'s a vast departure from the way we\'ve done business," said Donna Harlan, an associate superintendent in the Northampton school system. "We are not in the business of giving lists of names of kids to anybody. That was tough. The issue was if we were to receive federal or state money, we had to comply with the law."
The law also spelled the end of a 6-year ban on military recruiting on campus in Portland, Ore. After contending that the "don\'t ask, don\'t tell" policy discriminates against gays, the school system now gives recruiters a shot at its 16,000 students.
In Massachusetts, Framingham High senior April Middleton decided over lunch recently that maybe the military is in her future after talking with Army National Guard Sgt. Louis Perrin, a recruiter who visited the cafeteria.
Middleton, 18, said she plans to enlist after she graduates, and the prospect of war has not scared her off. "Sometimes you\'ve got to make sacrifices," she said.
Sometimes, however, recruiters battle hostility.
"One teacher said we were trying to brainwash kids. All we were doing was handing out pencils," Perrin said. "We\'re not trying to invade anybody\'s privacy. We\'re just trying to protect their freedoms."
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What the hell is Bush up to ?
Mobilizing for world domination ?
j/k
;)
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Err...
1) Isn\'t this illegal?
2) If it isn\'t, I\'m sure they\'ll take all the dumbasses and stoners.
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Hey Vapor just say your gay ;)
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I\'m going into the military anyway so I don\'t care.
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Originally posted by Titan
I\'m going into the military anyway so I don\'t care.
Good for you Titan :) I wish you the best of luck.
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Originally posted by Vapor Snake
Err...
2) If it isn\'t, I\'m sure they\'ll take all the dumbasses and stoners.
LOL thats what i was thinking
/stoner steps of the recruitment bus
stoner " err Mr Drill Sargent .... when do we get our Guns ?"
Dummass " yeah when are we going to invade Canada ?"
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Originally posted by Titan
I\'m going into the military anyway so I don\'t care.
oh Draft dodger ehhhhh
you know in the old days they used to send your kind to prison ;)
no i am not talking about gays and Vapour Snake
i am talking about the Draft dodging Titan ;)
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No seriously. They\'re gonna review student transcripts and highlight all the people who don\'t seem to have a future anyways. Why would they want to endanger America\'s young brilliant minds?
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Originally posted by ooseven
oh Draft dodger ehhhhh
you know in the old days they used to send your kind to prison ;)
no i am not talking about gays and Vapour Snake
i am talking about the Draft dodging Titan ;)
How could I dodge the draft if I\'m already in the military?
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Originally posted by Vapor Snake
No seriously. They\'re gonna review student transcripts and highlight all the people who don\'t seem to have a future anyways. Why would they want to endanger America\'s young brilliant minds?
Vapor i don\'t know what your worrying about... the US army still has a ban on gays so you will be ok ;)
But on the other hand Draft Dodging Titan will be known as Prisoner 83122 when the MP catch up with him.
j/k
well it says he\'s gay under his name ;)
oh damn i forgot Titan is in the Military, oh well i\'ll just write everything oh so small and hope he don\'t read this and laugh at me.....
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No, you\'re gay.
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First off, let me kick you in the nuts *kicks ooseven in the nuts*
Second off, I can\'t dodge a draft if I\'m already in the military.
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ooseven\'s nuts must be hurting now, that\'s at least 2 kicks I have counted today.
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Originally posted by Titan
First off, let me kick you in the nuts *kicks ooseven in the nuts*
Second off, I can\'t dodge a draft if I\'m already in the military.
look i can easily explain this But you have to Decode it because it’s an International Secret
just get it out og the following letters
YGSAIMOA
/me runs away nad hides ;)
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I ALREADY GET CALLS FOR THIS, MY AREA ALREADY DOES THIS. DAMN YOU SARGEANT BEER CALLING MY HOUSE ONCE A WEEK. I DON\'T WANT TO DO ANY ARMED FORCES THING!
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I too get calls on a regular basis, my dad\'s military, I get to see day to day what is wrong with it, why would I want to join, unless I was going for an education?
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This is pretty desturbing, people should be allowed to make up their own mind, not pressurised into it.
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Originally posted by ooseven
look i can easily explain this But you have to Decode it because it’s an International Secret
just get it out og the following letters
YGSAIMOA
/me runs away nad hides ;)
WTF?
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It isn\'t illegal.
Students and parents who oppose the law can keep their information from being turned over to the military, but they must sign and return an "opt-out" form.
Lawsuit avoided. However, I have heard military officials saying they are going to try to force schools to turn over names of those who fill out these forms as well. Now that would be illegal, and I would lead the lawsuit if that happened.
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I used to get calls recruiting me all the time until I asked them if they frowned on sexual relations with fellow male recruits. It works.
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But its probably on your record that you\'re gay :p
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1) If they\'re recruiting the stoners... shit
2) That gives me half a year to actually have fun before I have an overgrown beast spitting in my face.
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2) That gives me half a year to actually have fun before I have an overgrown beast spitting in my face.
It might come sooner than you expect...*pulls down pants*
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I said overgrown, not ingrown ;)
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Marines still call my house, they actually called a few hours ago, asking how I like college and stuff. I\'m like I love it, now quit bothering me you idiots!!!!!! ;)
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I\'ve wanted to enter the military since I was younger. The benefits and pay for an Air Force officer is incredible. I\'m planning on doing an ROTC program in college.
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Can you have shitty eyeshit and still be in the air force?
Tell me more about the benefits
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You need perfect vision to be a pilot but not sure about other positions like a mechanic or something. Some benefits would be the BEST health insurance in the country or possibly the world. You get monthly allowances for food, electricity, heat so pretty much all of your money is profit. You can retire after 20 years service for full retirement benefits (I can go in at 18 and retire at 38). I printed off some info off the Air Force website. Just go to a search engine and type in \'Air Force\' and click on the one by the government or even explore a bit. The Air Force website tells you all I want to know. I actually was able to pick the job I want. They have every job listed there (even astronaut). If I find that sheet I printed off, I\'ll PM you what info I have.
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Yea, they only make like 40,000 a year so it doesn\'t sound like a whole lot later in life but they supply you with money for all your bills too like Titan said.
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Officers get more though. I admit I don\'t know the salarys but I know that an officer makes anywhere from 40000-70000 dollars but its pure profit.
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*yawn*
My dad is in the air force now and we live in military housing. Its just like a typical suburban house except we don\'t pay any bills! No water and electric bills! Shit we haven\'t turned off the faucets in our sinks in months!
We do pay the phone bill however.
I love this life. But I won\'t join the military.
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That\'s because your gay, right? :p
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don\'t ask, don\'t tell