I recieved an e-mail from a distraught mother who claims that her son's high school is demanding that student's personal info is given to the USA military.
This sounds like preparations for a draft eh? I would not like this to happen in Canada, and I would dispute that any "free nation" would demand such info, with such drastic consequences for those who refuse.
The boy won't be allowed to have his name on graduation diplomas or any other school function unless they acquiesce.
Copy of her email:
Hello All:
As have many students, my son has been officially
blacklisted by his school because his father and I
have refused to allow his personal information to be
given to military recruiters. Here are excerpts from
the offical letter announcing his punishment:
"Dear Parents/Guardians of Juniors and Seniors:
Congress has passed two major pieces of legislation
that require local education agencies (high schools)
receiving assistance under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 to give military
recruiters the same access to secondary school
students as they provide to post secondary
institutions or to prospective employers. Local
education agencies are also required to provide
students' names, addresses, and telephone listings to
military recruiters, and higher education learning
when requested.
Under FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act),
this letter provides notice to you of the types of
student information that it releases publicly. This
type of student information, commonly referred to as
"directory information," includes the students' names,
the names of the student's parents/guardians, the
student's address, the student's date of birth and
telephone numbers and is information generally not
considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if
disclosed. If you chose not to participate, your
child's name will also not be able to appear in
anything associated with this school such as the
graduation program, honor roll list, sports programs
and the annual yearbook."
My son, like many others, is a frequent honor roll
student, will not be able to be listed. Like many
other students, if he does something noteworthy, the
school newspaper cannot mention him. He may not be
allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies. This
is wrong on many levels.
[also, but not not included here, a request to send e-mails to the school]
This sounds like preparations for a draft eh? I would not like this to happen in Canada, and I would dispute that any "free nation" would demand such info, with such drastic consequences for those who refuse.
The boy won't be allowed to have his name on graduation diplomas or any other school function unless they acquiesce.
Copy of her email:
Hello All:
As have many students, my son has been officially
blacklisted by his school because his father and I
have refused to allow his personal information to be
given to military recruiters. Here are excerpts from
the offical letter announcing his punishment:
"Dear Parents/Guardians of Juniors and Seniors:
Congress has passed two major pieces of legislation
that require local education agencies (high schools)
receiving assistance under the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 to give military
recruiters the same access to secondary school
students as they provide to post secondary
institutions or to prospective employers. Local
education agencies are also required to provide
students' names, addresses, and telephone listings to
military recruiters, and higher education learning
when requested.
Under FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act),
this letter provides notice to you of the types of
student information that it releases publicly. This
type of student information, commonly referred to as
"directory information," includes the students' names,
the names of the student's parents/guardians, the
student's address, the student's date of birth and
telephone numbers and is information generally not
considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if
disclosed. If you chose not to participate, your
child's name will also not be able to appear in
anything associated with this school such as the
graduation program, honor roll list, sports programs
and the annual yearbook."
My son, like many others, is a frequent honor roll
student, will not be able to be listed. Like many
other students, if he does something noteworthy, the
school newspaper cannot mention him. He may not be
allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies. This
is wrong on many levels.
[also, but not not included here, a request to send e-mails to the school]