Activists want S.F. to oppose military recruitment in schools

[Kadie]

Activists want S.F. to oppose military recruitment in schools
By Lisa Leff
ASSOCIATED PRESS

4:23 p.m. July 11, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO – Hoping to build on the American public's growing frustration with the war in Iraq, anti-war activists in San Francisco on Monday submitted a local ballot measure that would put the city on record as opposing the presence of military recruiters in public high schools and colleges.

If it qualifies for the November ballot and is approved by voters, the initiative would not ban the armed forces from seeking new recruits at San Francisco campuses, an action that puts schools at risk of losing federal funding.

Instead, the nonbinding "College Not Combat" resolution merely would encourage city officials and university administrators to exclude recruiters even if it means forsaking government dollars and to create scholarships and training programs that would reduce the military's appeal to young adults.

"We do not see George Bush's daughters signing up. It is poor and working class people who need a job and education at the same time billions are being spent on this war," said Ragina Johnson, a member of the International Socialist Organization.

more...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20050711-1623-ca-collegenotcombat.html

[bluestateguy]

1. Reply

I don't have a problem with military recruiters on campus. All I ask is that people in other organizations be allowed to present an alternative view of military service to the students.

[noamnety]

2. I have a problem with them having a regular presence

If they want to put up posters, fine. If the school wants to invite them in for a veteran's day assembly, fine. If the school wants to have a stack of their business cards in the guidance counselor's office, fine.

What I don't approve of is allowing them to pressure the kids and prey on them. The information should be open and accessible, but the recruiters shouldn't be allowed to stalk the students by tracking them down at home, following them into the lunch room, and so forth.

What I expect is the same professional atmosphere I'd expect at any professional environment. If a coworker wants to sell me something, whether it's girl scout cookies or religion or tupperware, it's fair game to make it known their available, and I can seek them out. It's completely inappropriate to corner me in my cubicle and then again in the lunch room, and start calling me repeatedly at home to listen to some marketing pitch.

[mom cat]

3. Check out Mothers against the draft. They have easy opt out forms

to protect kids from having schools send out their personal info to the military. Schools have to report UNLESS the parent requests that the info not be sent. These forms can be passed out freely.
http://www.mothersagainstthedraft.org/

[IndianaGreen]

4. Thanks for the link, mom cat

You posted this before and I forgot to bookmark it. We all need to spread the word around: no more feeding of the war machine!

[mom cat]

5. Amen to that! I will keep droping it in related threads. Send it far and

wide. The kid you save may be your own, or a friend's kid.

[pinniped]

6. I noticed an increase of Army commercials on the tube lately.

And they were all spread out on different channels.

[Iowa]

7. I oppose military recruitment in schools...

In fact, I'm strongly opposed. Why? Because I don't believe that ANYONE who isn't there for the sole benefit of the students should have a presence in our schools. Any person, company, organization, or government entity whose interests may conflict with those of the students should be barred at the door. The list of those barred would be a long one: salespersons of any kind, military recruiters, churches, credit card companies, religious rock groups, advertisers, university/grant funded researchers, politicians, and I'd even include college recruiters - and the list goes on. Whenever someone carrying a briefcase and wearing a suit (or a uniform) calls a student into the guidance office for a chat, the school is providing their tacit approval for whatever that individual is pushing, and students are at a great disadvantage. If kids want access to any of this stuff they can seek it out on their own. Schools should exist for the benefit of students - period.

[EFerrari]

8. Here, here.

But, the military in particular has not business recruiting in our schools. None.

The power imbalance is ridiculous and their presence is antithetical to an educational environment.

[fleabert]

9. I was in SF this past weekend, and was approached by the petioners,

I couldn't sign because I am not a SF voter... we were on Haight & Ashbury, btw.