Delivered OPT OUT cards to students entering North High School this a.m.

[lonestarnot]

Going to go to every fucking high school in Arizona! Try it in your state. The kids were very receptive of the OP OUT. Peace. March on! :patriot:

[Elspeth]

1. Thank you.

Rec. #1

[halobeam]

2. I downloaded forms

didn't know there were cards.. where did you get them?

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. "Leave My Child Alone" web site is off-line. Where do people get the forms now?

I have mine because I printed them out earlier this year, but how do other people get their forms now?:( Where did you get yours?

http://www.leavemychildalone.org/

[lonestarnot]

7. Cards were supplied by Arizona Advocacy Group. I think they needed a

hand-out to go along with the card to explain, that anyone under 18 needed to have parent or guardian sign.

[Breeze54]

12. Here you go!! Opt Out Forms

War Resisters

http://www.warresisters.org/youth/

We are involved in a number of exciting projects this fall.
Click here to find out about the Not Your Soldier project and get connected
to youth counter recruitment activists all over the country.

Check out DMZ: A Guide to Taking Your School Back from the Military
an organizing guide for high school students interested in keeping
the military out of our schools.

Want to get involved? join the DMZ Network. Visit us on MySpace.
Our materials and links pages are regularly updated, so check
back often for counter recruitment resources and tools.

We offer counter recruitment workshops and trainings.

MATERIALS: OPT-OUT FORMS

LAUSD Opt Out Form (English)
(http://www.militaryfreeschools.org/PDF/optout1.pdf)

LAUSD Formato de Opcion de No Participacion (Espanol)
(http://www.militaryfreeschools.org/PDF/optoutsp1.pdf)

Click here for more materials and resources. http://www.warresisters.org/youth/materials.html

[in_cog_ni_to]

14. YOU ARE A PEACH! Thank you! I need to get these out to my friends before school starts!

Thank you!:hi:

[Breeze54]

16. Awe! I'm glad you'll be informing them of their options!

That makes you a peach too! ;)

[lonestarnot]

15. Yes! Thanks Breezie!

:applause:

[Breeze54]

20. Anytime and for anyone wanting to opt out!

I'm a member of MMOB. ;)

Mainstreet Moms (theMMOB.org) Organize or Bust is a grassroots organization committed to
the accelerated engagement and participation of citizens in the restoration of our democracy,
particularly the 83.5 million American women who identify and self-organize as mothers.
Started by moms but open to absolutely everyone.

If you haven't already, please join the MMOB as a member on our website at www.theMMOB.org/join.php.
This discussion group is a subset of that full membership. Thank you.

MAINSTREET MOMS OPPOSE BUSH
Join the MMOB!
www.theMMOB.com or check them out on Yahoo Groups.

[lonestarnot]

23. Yes will do that.

[brystheguy]

55. Form looks out of date

The link to the opt-out form points to a form that says it has to be turned in by October 22, 2004. Is there anything that is more current? I wonder how seriously a student or adult would take this movement with a form that is three years out of date. I like this but I don't want to hand out a three year old form. Maybe I missed something.

[Breeze54]

58. Same form., they probably

didn't update that date is all.

Just black that part out.

The other website was/is down, so I offered a substitute.

This OPT OUT is ongoing, so I don't think that date matters.

The info that is important is your kids personal info being removed!

[lonestarnot]

62. We handed out 3 X 5 opt out cards today.

I cannot view the form here. Sorry.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. I assume these are info card to opt out of the "No cannon fodder left behind" act?

Kudos!

That makes me curious: does anyone know of a website which consolidates and presents information about the legal requirements and one's rights not to have their personal information handed over to military recruiters?

[lonestarnot]

8. Above. There is a link.

[TechBear_Seattle]

11. Thanks! n/t

[Breeze54]

5. YOU ROCK!!!

:applause: :applause:

:patriot:

[lonestarnot]

9. Woot!

:patriot:

[EFerrari]

6. What a great idea!

:applause::applause::applause:

[williesgirl]

10. Glad to be 5h rec to get the word out - excellent idea. thanks.

[lonestarnot]

13. Thanking you. Organize an endeavor in your state!

:applause:

[Ezlivin]

17. I won't do it in my town

This is a "We love Bush no matter what he's done" kind of town. There are churches on every corner and plenty of SUVs with the Xian fish symbols and the yellow magnets to "Support the Troops." Most people here think the war is just dandy and they aren't sending their kids because "they've got better things to do."

When kids are driving BMWs and talking on new iPhones, they don't need to be warned to "opt out" of joining the military. That thought doesn't even enter their minds.

[lonestarnot]

27. I'm sorry. Do you want me to make reservations and come and do it for you?

[Ezlivin]

56. No thanks

I'm a disabled veteran and my wife is a veteran. We could do it if we wanted to "save" the spoiled teenagers of our area from actually doing anything for their country.

I appreciate what you are doing and think that it's a great idea. But it's past time that the Republicans sent some of their "precious" kids off to be cannon fodder.

Don't get me wrong: I'd rather that we never had war again. I'm completely with Major General Butler and share his views of war.

[Breeze54]

59. I think that's cool, actually!

:P

Agreed!!

"...it's past time that the Republicans sent some of their "precious" kids off to be cannon fodder."

Screw 'em!! :rofl:

Thanks, :patriot: !!

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. lonestarnot, do you know what the deadline date is for sending in the forms? I'm pretty sure there

is a deadline, right?

[lonestarnot]

24. No there is no deadline. There is a flat line when you get hit with IED.

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. OK. Thanks!

:hi:

[lonestarnot]

34. No problem!

:hi: :hug:

[GreenEyedLefty]

19. K & R . Thank you.

[Ms. Toad]

21. Great idea - but an even better idea

is to go in the early spring to the counselor for incoming freshman (or whatever level your local high school considers the lowest grade). My daughter's freshman counselor gave a form to each parent during a spring meeting she had us prior to scheduling classes for the first year of high school. She explained what it was for, and why it was necessary if you didn't want your child's contact information to be given to the military (i.e. the school is required by law to hand it over unless you actively tell them not to). I was amazed - our school is known for being fairly conservative, and it wasn't just that we were targeted because they know we are outside the norm - the other parents scheduling their child at the same time were also given the form.

Once the names are in the system, it's pretty hard to drag them back out - so going to the high school now will provide some relief for the folks already in high school - but if you can get the counselors to hand them out when they meet with parents before the first year of high school it will be even more effective.

[Breeze54]

22. Yes! Get them in 8th or 9th grade and renew it every year!!

See also:
http://www.beforeyouenlist.org/

LINKS: TRAINING AND RESOURCES

Center on Conscience and War (NISBCO)
(http://www.nisbco.org/)
Central Committee for Conscientious Objection (CCCO)
(http://www.objector.org/)
GI Rights Hotline
(http://girights.objector.org/)
Not Your Soldier
(http://www.notyoursoldier.org/)

[Ms. Toad]

29. No need to renew it until the child hits 18

The school must abide the parent's written wishes until they are withdrawn by the parent or overriden by the child when s/he hits 18 (and is considered an adult capable of making her/his own decisions).

[halobeam]

31. where did you find that info?

Around here,(NY) there are rumors that you have to renew each year. I sent an opt out when my child entered high school, I was getting ready to send another one. Thanks!!

:hi:

[Ms. Toad]

43. Here's some additional information

The one in our school is permanent, unless rescinded, but I did run across a Michigan ACLU site which says it is up to each district). I'll keep looking.

Here's a New York form which implies it covers the entire high school career, unless a rescission is made (fourth paragraph in the letter): http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/A7CF253A-AEE3-4E54-B9BB-45878CC9354F/17767/MilitaryOptOutMemo2006Final_Eng.pdf

The distinction between under 18 and over is the distinction between being an adult and a child. Once the child hits 18 he or she is considered an adult and can make his or her own choices (and override a parent's opt out notice).

Here's some additional information about a second database it might be useful to get into:

http://milrec.nyclu.org/1d.html

[Breeze54]

Well, sorry to tell you but they don't always abide by the rules!

My kid was on the opt out list and i still got calls from recruiters.
Some HS personel ignore the opt out flags! I had to call the school
counselor who then called the recruiter and told him to back off!

[Ms. Toad]

47. Recruiters can also get information other ways. . .

The NCLB opt out only prevents them from giving your name to the military - it doesn't prevent the military from calling if they get it another way.

If your child takes the ASVAB test and doesn't check the right boxes (I was forced to take it when I was in High School), that will trigger a flood. There may be activities at school that look innocent - but request contact information. If it is voluntarily provided, it's not covered.

There's also a separate database (JAMRS) that collects data from all sorts of other places teens have been known to give out information (like driver's license lists, for example). You probably want to opt out of it, as well. Here's info http://www.mothersagainstthedraft.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=486&Itemid=168

Now, if you know the military got your child's name from the school you might want to contact your local ACLU - most of them are pretty active in this arena.

[Breeze54]

48. Yeah, I know they're sneaky bastards. but they did get it from the school!

My son never took that skills crap or filled out any forms for any recruiters.
He, my youngest son is out of high school now. Graduated June 3rd, '07.
He's 18 and ripe for the picking but we're moving and my phone number
and address will no longer be a useful to them. ;)

Thanks! I hope others here with teens will read your posts!

[lonestarnot]

25. Nice idea, but I prefer handing it straight to who matters. That way I'm sure they got it.

Besides, it get in the news.

[Ms. Toad]

32. Then do both

What you did was great - and more likely to make a news splash.

Getting it to a receptive counselor who, at least in our school, has the ear of the parents of every entering high school student, can create a gift that keeps on giving. I was aware of the right to opt out, but hadn't yet looked up the form when the counselor handed it to me. In our case, receiving it from the counselor as part of a "Here's what you need to know to survive high school" was certainly a lot more effective than handing it to my daughter who often digs important papers out of her backpack to give to me on the last day of the school year with an "Oops!

[lonestarnot]

33. Handing it to the student with, "This may save your life," is my style, both works for me!

:toast:

[uppityperson]

30. If your school doesn't hand them out, you can demand they do

Ours kept saying "eventually we'll get around to doing it". Bunch of Teen Peacers took matters into their own hands. They told school that they were in danger of losing monies, and were going to report them to feds, and made a bunch of forms, set up a table outside school at lunch and handed them out, collected them, turned them in. Make sure you notify local news media too since many parents and kids don't know that this is a mandated thing for schools that receive gvt funds.

[lonestarnot]

35. I will find out the answer at my son's school tomorrow!

I will DEMAND IT!

[uppityperson]

39. If they hesitate, remind them they are in danger of losing funding

Sort of like reminding some businesses about liability, making them do the right thing when they are too busy or just don't care. Good luck and thanks for keeping on it.

[lonestarnot]

54. Oh you can count on that baby!

[Breeze54]

40. The schools purposefully do not inform the parents or the students about opting out!

They want that federal money!!

[uppityperson]

42. Part of NCLB is that they are mandated to hand out the forms if they want to get money.

Hence, if they don't hand out forms, they can lose the funding. Even schools in librul towns like ours got "too busy" to get the forms together until they were forced to.

[Breeze54]

44. That may be so but I had to inform/teach my son's high school

what it was!! They never heard about it and I stood there and waited while
she went online and read the website. She also printed out extra forms for me.
And she notified the principle etc.; when I told her that they are supposed
to have the forms and info. in the handbook. They didn't have a clue!!

Not all the schools are up to snuff!

Or they plead ignorance.

[lonestarnot]

53. Reliance on NCLB has really gone far hasn't it?

:rofl:

[bigtree]

28. good work!

:patriot:

[lonestarnot]

36. Carry on!

:patriot:

[Catshrink]

37. We have an opt out form in our student handbook

the kids get on day one. I make sure to point it out to the kids and most of them come back signed. Thanks, lonestarnot!

[lonestarnot]

45. Excellent!

[BlooInBloo]

38. Nice - making a difference.

[cynatnite]

41. Fortunately, my teenager's high school includes them in their manual...

Good job! :patriot:

[lonestarnot]

46. In Tennessee? WOW! That is great!

:patriot:

[cynatnite]

52. I don't know how it is the rest of the state...

and the superintendent is very anti-NCLB. In NCLB there is a provision which allows recruiters to contact the students. He got the opt out forms put in the manuals.

[aikoaiko]

49. Opt out of what?

[Breeze54]

50. Being contacted by military recruiters while in high school!

Parents can 'opt out' their kids.

Meaning the recruiters can NOT contact them by phone or letter and

the schools can NOT give out your kids personal information to the recruiters..

[lonestarnot]

51. And they can't snoop their records.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

57. That's Wonderful But..I opted out my sons and still receive recruitment calls. It seems that

if they apply for college their name gets tagged too.

The last time a recruiter called, it was the Marines for my 16 year old. My 20 year old answered the phone and told the recruiter that they didn't want his brother because he's very political! The recruiter hung up.

[lonestarnot]

60. HeH! "Teached" that kid correct manner in which to deal!

:toast:
Guess are children "is" learning.

[Alexia Wheaton]

61. I believe in the "opt-in" option whenever possible.

That would include the military. :patriot:

lonestarnot :thumbsup:

[lonestarnot]

63. Done my time. Suit yourself. Rich white mens' war of lies not worth fighting.

And blood and guts aren't all they are cracked up to be, neither is trophie hunting.

[Alexia Wheaton]

64. I agree with you. The "rich white mens' war of lies not worth fighting."

The provision in NCLB act that requires schools to give the military data on students is absurd and should be repealed.

[lonestarnot]

65. Yes it should.

[blondie58]

66. I got one for my sophomore

in her registration packet.