No Child militarizes kids

Thank you for your article about how the No Child Left Behind federal law is affecting our local schools [September 15 cover story].

I wonder if you and your readers realize that another part of the same law, federal law 107-110, section 9528 of the ESEA, also requires high schools to turn in names, addresses, and phone numbers of all teenagers approaching military service age? It says this must be done unless a parent specifically requests that the child's information not be turned in.

This same part of the NCLB law says schools are required to notify parents and students of their right to opt out, but I've never heard of any student or parent who has been so informed.

Several groups, including War Resisters League and Coalition Against Militarism in Our Schools (militaryfreeschools.org) have developed "opt-out" forms which can be used. Student groups in local schools are trying to get copies of one of these forms into as many students' hands as possible.

Even people who favor military service and who may agree with the war in Iraq might not want their teenagers so easily accessed and harassed by recruiters with outlandish, high pressure "offers" that are rarely true. Please urge your readers to look more closely at this insidious law and how it's being used.

Joyce Hillstrom
Charlottesville