The Iraqi Peace Coalition, which is considering a name change so it can take on more issues, wants Springfield parents to know that the U.S. military is interested in their children.
“The No Child Left Behind Act requires high schools to provide the name, address, and phone numbers of all juniors and seniors to the Defense Department for recruiting purposes,” the organization warns. Students can opt out of the provision by writing a letter to their high school’s administrator, says coalition member Peg Knoepfle.
Parents can also submit a letter on a student’s behalf.
District 186 spokesperson Carol Votsmeir says the schools are still working out how to meet the government mandate and suggests parents who don’t want their children’s names given to the military should call the district’s student services department at 525-7911. “We will do everything we can to comply,” says Votsmeir.
School districts that don’t comply jeopardize their federal funding.
For those interested in preventing a high school from submitting a student’s profile, sample letters can be found online at www.wagingpeace.org/new/getinvolved/index.htm. Those interested in learning more about the provision can download a four-page question-and-answer sheet from the U.S. Department of Education at www.ed.gov/offices/OII/fpco/pdf/ht_100902b.pdf.
This article appears in May 8-14, 2003.
