I Thought NCLB Couldn't Get Much Worse...
No Child Left Behind is like so many of this Administration's boondoggles. It comes in mild, hurts hard over time, and is rife with surprise. Connecticut recently filed a lawsuit against NCLB's unfunded mandate, the legislation's best-known flaw. Six states have considered taking a pass on federal funds to get out from under NCLB. And seven states have projected 75% to 99% of their schools are guaranteed to "fail" according to NCLB's surreal requirements, despite performing well by other accepted measures.
Then I Learned About The Military Recruitment.
As though that weren't enough shipwreck for one piece of legislation, there's a sneaky military recruitment requirement tucked away inside NCLB. Yes, Section 9528 of NCLB forces high schools to turn over students' personal information to military recruiters, often without the knowledge or consent of their parents.
Iraq's On The Phone, Son
As a result, kids are getting persistent calls and visits at home from recruiters trying to make their year-end quotas this month, and families find they can't call-block the government. This is a blight on privacy, another federal strong-arming of states, and a prime invitation to push back.
Last Chance to Opt Out with LeaveMyChildAlone.org
Push back with the Leave My Child Alone coalition. Help more high school families Opt Out of NCLB's recruitment lists in time. Most deadlines start hitting now, so forward the Opt Out tool boldly.
Bonus: Get Off The DOD's Big List At The Same Time
This same tool helps any 16-to-25-year-olds you know opt out of the Pentagon's mega-database of 30 million youth, known as the "JAMRS" database. Seven senators, including Senators Corzine and Clinton, have asked Secretary Rumsfeld to eliminate the invasive collection of data on youth, and to prominently post an "opt out letter" on the DOD web site. Until the Senators prevail, Opt Out here.