Pentagon Virus in Public Education

In January of 2002, President Bush signed into law a new education bill which forces schools to assist military recruiters. The provision is contained in the re-authorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
by Rick Jahnkow

The Pentagon understands the key role that education plays in influencing the future political climate in the U.S. People with progressive politics and values need to be equally aware of this role and recognize the disastrous long-term consequences we will face if the militarization of education is allowed to go any further. Another hole has been ripped open in the barrier protecting U.S. civilians from the influence of militarism. In December of 2001, the U.S. Congress gave final approval to an education bill with a provision that severely erodes the right of local schools to control military access to campuses and personal information about students. The legislation, signed by President Bush on January 8, 2002, will go into effect soon as Public Law 107-110.

The military access provision was part of a larger bill (H.R. 1) that provides various funds for local schools and programs to improve student performance. The bill also extends and changes programs begun under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
Section 9528 of the new law states:

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.

It also directs that:
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.

Schools that fail to conform to these requirements will lose substantial federal education funds.

Originally, the Senate version of the bill did not penalize schools for placing restrictions on military recruiting. However, the House version, which sought to coerce schools into cooperating with the Pentagon, prevailed for the most part in joint conference committee negotiations. Some observers believe the post-September 11 political climate was responsible for this development.

On the positive side, there is a stipulation that a secondary school student or the parent of the student may request that the student's name, address, and telephone number not be released without written consent. Public and private schools will be required to notify parents of this option. This reinforces a provision of a long-standing law - the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) - that grants the right to opt out when student lists are released.

The Secretary of Education has until May 8, 2002 to notify all secondary schools of the new recruiter access requirements. It is possible that proposed regulations implementing the law will be published in the Federal Register before they are finalized, with time provided for public comment.

Options for Schools
While regulations are being developed, school districts that have restrictive recruiting policies can consider various options for new policies.

One possible response from schools would be to make sure that information about the right of students and parents to have the students' personal information removed from lists to be given to recruiters be presented to them in a very prominent way. Opt-out rights and procedures should also be translated into languages other than English, especially in school districts with large immigrant communities. Forms with check-off boxes could also be issued to facilitate the process of opting out, and their completion could be a required part of annual school registration.

School officials could also make sure that military recruiters get nothing more than what other outside entities are offered. For example, the military could be prohibited from sending speakers to schools unless a forum has been established for students to also hear alternative speakers. Schools could develop or apply existing non-discrimination standards that would be applied equally to all outside educational and career representatives.

The different responses that will be possible to the new law will depend not only on how the final regulations are worded, but also on the politics in each community and the degree to which schools are determined to maintain their civilian autonomy. The Pentagon understands the key role that education plays in influencing the future political climate in the U.S. People with progressive politics and values need to be equally aware of this role and recognize the disastrous long-term consequences we will face if the militarization of education is allowed to go any further.

About the Author
Rick Jahnkow is active with the Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft and the Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities, both based in San Diego, CA. He can be reached at "mailto:comd@comdsd.org"comd@comdsd.org.
Reprinted from Draft NOtices, January-February 2002, Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft, HYPERLINK "http://www.comdsd.org"www.comdsd.org.

Related Links

AFSC Youth and Militarism - www.afsc.org/youthmil
The AFSC National Youth and Militarism Program addresses the impact of war and military institutions on young people's lives. We conduct public education campaigns, trainings and workshops, do media outreach and communications work, and support grassroots educational and organizing efforts.

The Center on Conscience & War (CCW) - www.nisbco.org
The Center on Conscience & War (CCW), formerly the National Interreligious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors (NISBCO), was formed in 1940 by an association of religious bodies.  CCW works to defend and extend the rights of conscientious objectors.  The Center is committed to supporting all those who question participation in war, whether they are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, documented or undocumented immigrants--or citizens in other countries.

Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors (CCCO) - www.objector.org
The Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors supports and promotes individual and collective resistance to war and preparations for war.

War Resisters League - www.warresisters.org
WRL is committed not only to eliminating war, but the causes of war-causes intricately linked to the violence that pervades our society. We know that even where there seems to be "peace," the suffering of homelessness, hunger, lack of medical care, and poverty is as violent to those upon whom it is imposed as any war.