|
In
June, we
explained that high schools in the U.S. are required to provide 'directory
information' about students to military recruiters--but families are to
be offered the option to not have this information given out. At that time,
the three Albemarle County high schools did not have a unified method for
informing families of this option. And two of them did not make it clear
that the military was one place the information was being sent.
After a review (which may have in part been prompted by our inquiries),
the schools now have a fairly uniform letter of notification. Here's the
relevant portion of the letter sent out by Monticello HS:
Albemarle County Public Schools
Opt Out Notification for Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters*
Dear Parent/Guardian:
As of ______, high school staff members are required by federal regulation
to release the names, addresses, and phone listings of students enrolled
in high school to military recruiters just as prospective employers and
colleges/universities also can request access to this
information. The regulation also requires you be notified that you can choose
to not have your child’s name, address, or phone listing released to
military recruiters.
If you would like to exercise your right not to release this information
to a military recruiter, please notify me in writing or return the form
below and upon receipt, school staff will honor and comply with your request.
The form should be returned to the school office by _________.
Sincerely,
<Principal>
Please do not release my child’s name, _____________________, address,
or telephone listing to military recruiters without my prior written permission.
Thank you,
______________________
(parent signature)
Federal Regulation:
“ Section 9528 requires schools receiving Title I
funds under the Act to give military recruiters access to schools and the
names and address of secondary school students. A secondary school student
or the parent of the student may request that the student’s name, address
and telephone listing not be released without prior written parental consent
and a local educational agency (i.e., school board) shall notify parents
of the option to make a request and shall comply with any request. Each
local educational agency receiving Title I funds is required to provide
military recruiters the same access to secondary school students as is provided
generally to post-secondary educational institutions or to prospective employers
of those student”.
(The relevant regulation is Section 9528 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act, Public Law 107-110, signed into law on January 8, 2002 by
President Bush)
For further information or questions, please contact Dr.
Pam Moran, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction at 434-296-5820. |
Betsy Toms. the Database Administrator for Monticello High, tells us,
"We sent a notification letter home in our first day packets to all
our students. Our enrollment the first week of school was 1149. We had 611
students who have taken the option to not have information released to the
Military Recruiters."
Rachel Collier, Database Administrator at Albemarle, reports: "We
have 1700 students--all students were sent the information giving them the
option to opt out. 108 students did opt out of military contact."
We have also requested this information from Western Albemarle, and will
incorporate it into this article when it is received.
Albemarle Schools' Communications Coordinator Christy Sinatra tells us
that in addition to the letter, "the school division sends to each
parent at the start of every school year a publication titled 'School Talk.'
On page 5 of this year’s edition, a section starts on “Student
Records Content and Access.” Among the information included in this
section is a list of individuals/organizations the school division may disclose
student record information to and it specifically lists military recruiters."
(Dave Sagarin, December 16, 2005)
Note: Here are some recent articles we have posted on the topic:
Parents
Look Askance at Military Recruiting, Pentagon
Creating Student Database, High
Schools Report to Military Recruiters, Rift
over Recruiting at Public High Schools.
|
