Fwd: Parents say hands off to recruiters

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http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_3235751

 

Parents say `no' to military

More than 2,000 opt to keep recruiters from kids

By Tracy Garcia Staff Writer

Whittier Daily News

 

 

WHITTIER - More than 2,000 parents in the Whittier Union High School

District have signed forms requesting that their children's names not be

included on military recruiters' lists.

 

The number has skyrocketed from last year, when only about two dozen

parents signed the forms.

 

The increase is due to a simplified parental consent form the district

featured prominently in back-to-school informational packets sent to

students' homes this year, school officials and local anti-war activists

said.

 

" We have always provided parents the opportunity to prohibit military

personnel from recruiting their children, " Assistant Superintendent Ron

Carruth said.

 

" But with the implementation of `No Child Left Behind' and its mandate

that military recruiters get the same access to students as college

recruiters, concerns were heightened within our community, causing us to

review our policy. "

 

This year, district officials came up with a simple consent form with

check-boxes that let parents choose which kinds of recruiters should have

access to their children's information - military, college or

trade/technical schools.

 

" What we wanted to do was clearly communicate with parents, " Carruth said.

" The form spells out how parents can select to share or not share student

information with military and/or college recruiters. "

 

After the changes, military " opt-out " requests from parents jumped to

2,088 this year. The Whittier Union district has more than 13,000 high

school students.

 

" That's amazing, " said Orlando Terrazas, 51, a Whittier High School parent

who belongs to an anti-war group, the Whittier Area Peace and Justice

Coalition.

 

Terrazas had lobbied for schools to give local students more exposure to

nonmilitary options for post-graduation.

 

" So from dozens last year to over 2,000 this year, " he said. " I'm really

pleased. It makes me feel like all the long hours and all the work was

worth it. The tide is turning. "

 

Carruth said the district also is giving students more information on how

to talk to recruiters - whether military or nonmilitary - and make

informed decisions about their futures.

 

Terrazas praised district officials for responding to his and other

parents' concerns.

 

" We had a very positive working relationship. They listened, they informed

us of what they were doing and they included us, " Terrazas said. " I was

very pleased. "