ACLU: Peace Activist Can Compete Against Military Recruiters In Rural NC School District

[Purveyor]

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A rural North Carolina school district with a proud military tradition has surrendered to a Quaker peace activist's request for access to high school students so she can warn them about joining the military, attorneys said Wednesday.

For years, Sally Ferrell had been asking permission to talk to students about alternatives to joining the military. The Wilkes County School Board had denied her access, even though military recruiters are typically allowed in school, and the superintendent had called her activities unpatriotic.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that Ferrell's plight was a matter of free speech, said attorneys reached a settlement this week with school officials granting the group, North Carolina Peace Action, the same opportunities as military recruiters.

Ferrell said in a statement she looks forward to providing job-related information. She has previously touted AmeriCorps and other alternatives to the military.

In part, the agreement puts new restrictions on all types of recruiters. Instead of allowing recruiters to set up a table in the cafeteria to meet the students directly, Superintendent Stephen Laws said they will instead meet only with students who specifically sign up to hear about opportunities.

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AP: http://www.the33tv.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-counter-recruiting,0,7187702.story