I just got the school district information booklet from my daughter's school. She's in kindergarten.

I was appalled to read the following:

Under District policy and the No child Left Behind Act, the Oakland Unified School District is required to release the names, home addresses, and home telephone numbers of all secondary students who are 16 years old and above to military recruiters who request this "directory information."

So the military can have access to my child's information and call them at home, because of this No Child Left Behind Act?

How is that advancing their education and helping them learn to read and write?

The military had better not ever call my home looking to recruit either one of my children.

Is it just me, or does anyone else find this to be disgusting and an example of the government overreaching its bounds?

That's been pretty standard for quite awhile, but if your daughter makes it clear she isn't interested (when the time comes of course, she's way too young right now!) they won't call a second time. Or at least the same recruiter won't call again. Now if it's you saying no, they may try again to see if they can talk to her instead of you and find out if she's interested. Once she turns 18 if they call for her, they definitely won't take your word for it because she'll be old enough to sign up without your consent. From 16 to her 18th birthday it's your call, but after that it's up to her.

I wouldn't worry too much over it though, for the most part they take no as an answer the first time. To quote my hubby who's a recruiter for the guard "I would rather them tell me no up front so I don't waste my time trying to enlist someone who doesn't want to be enlisted." I still have recruiters call me every once in awhile, but after I tell them no they don't call back.


Got distracted and forgot to answer the rest of your post.

It doesn't really help them learn to read or write, but the military does have some good benefits. College money, job training, bonus money, etc. That and since our military is all volunteer they have to get recruits somewhere. And the college money and job training can advance a persons education, assuming they go into a military job that is available in the civilian world. There are more jobs in the military besides infantry and the like. They don't all require you to be in the middle of a war to use your training, just the ones we hear about most often.

I don't find it disgusting, but I'm slightly biased since my hubby is in and that is what's paying our bills right now. Kinda hard to be disgusted with the hand that feeds me.

[edit on 18-10-2007 by Jenna]

I seriously doubt that they'll be calling you for at least 10+ years or so!

Like Jenna said, don't worry about it. If your child is 16 or under, just be polite and say that you're aren't interested in that at this time. They usually don't call back, but expect at least four calls; one from each branch!

Never had a recruiter call me personally, unless I had given them my number. Of course, they told me to just "not mention" a certain medical condition I have when I sign up and it shouldn't be a problem, which I decided against.

On topic, When I was in high school, about 8 years ago, recruiters were always in the lunch room handing out free "gifts," basically cheap stuff you'd get at trade shows. In order to get these "free gifts," of course, you would have to fill out a contact card, and be willing to talk to them over the phone and/or make an appointment. It was fun to watch some of them sell their product (army, navy, AF, etc.), it was like watching a used car salesman selling a pinto (and knowing it may explode).

Again, the closest I ever got to a personal contact was my mandatory draft sign up card (all male citizens at 18 years old have to fill these out), except for a requested phone call from a specific recruiter.

-Warlo

Originally posted by Warlo
It was fun to watch some of them sell their product (army, navy, AF, etc.), it was like watching a used car salesman selling a pinto (and knowing it may explode).

I wouldn't be a military recruiter if my life depended on it! That is a seriously high stress job, even without a war going on. My uncle was a recruiter for the Marines and it didn't sound like a fun job. Those guys bust their butts every day of the week.

I'm not worried about it for my kid, yet.

However, a 16 year old is a minor. Nobody should be allowed to try to talk them into doing something without speaking to me first and getting my permission.

When my daughter, and then my son, turn 18, and they're old enough to vote, then the recruiters can call.

But until then, I think it's wrong.

All they can do is talk when they are 16 and 17. The recruiters can't enlist anyone under 18 without parental consent, so even if one of your kids is 17 and wants to join they can't unless you say ok and sign a form giving permission. Till they turn 18 the most a recruiter can/will do if you won't give permission is either try to set up a meeting with you to discuss your concerns or tell the teen that there's nothing else they can do until they are legally an adult. Any recruiter who tries to fake it and enlist your kid anyway won't last very long as a recruiter.

Just out of curiosity cause I'm a nosy little thing, are you against them talking to your kids before they turn 18 just because they are the military? Or is it just that you don't like them talking to minors about joining? Just curious.

I don't think they should be talking to minors at all.

I wouldn't want Bank of America calling my 16 year old to "just talk" to them about a credit card when they turn 18, I wouldn't want my local Toyota dealer to "just talk" to them about a major car loan when they turn 18, and I wouldn't want the Red Cross to call and "just talk" to them about giving blood when they turn 18.

I don't think it is appropriate. That's allowing people to put a hard sell and an idea on a minor, for something they can't do until they're 18. That puts a gloss on it that makes it even more attractive -- it's forbidden fruit for two years. I think it's unethical.

And no, I don't like the military. I know that it is a necessary evil right now, but I also don't trust the government to put them to safe and proper use.

is this new to you? i remember seeing military recruiters everyday... and some of them would actually know me by name and tell me "i've heard that you need some direction, or at least that's what your teachers say (sometimes i'd even have the teachers named for me). we can give you the discipline you need"

people that i've had no interaction with, knowing this stuff...

air force, army, and navy (the marines avoided me)

hell, i even had a class where we were a captive audience to an air force recruiter one day and a marine recruiter the next
they both had prior information about all the students.

[edit on 10/19/07 by madnessinmysoul]