Should military personnel be allowed to recruit at Gunn?

The 2001 No Child Left Behind Act lets the military obtain students’ contact information from high schools across the nation. However, at the same time, it also requires administrators to make it known that parents can withhold their child’s information by signing a non-release form. According to the National Priorities Project web site, local Monta Vista High School had two military recruits in 2004. The military’s efforts to recruit on campus are not harming students and the military should therefore be able to keep up its on-campus recruiting policy.

The army’s outreach to high schools is a benefit for students coming from low-income families. Those who cannot afford a college education can receive major funding from the military as a gift for their endeavor for a higher education. For many students, the military may be the only way to fulfill their college dreams.

Furthermore, high school recruiting does not mean that the army will force students into joining. Enlisting is a completely voluntary action. High school students should be wise enough to make judicious decisions for themselves. And if it so happens that students receive letters in the mail trying to encourage them to enlist, they can always just choose to ignore it. Tons of colleges do this and no one complains. So why should we complain if the army does the exact same thing?

Finally, for those who are worried about handing over their private information to the army, there is always the non-release form. By law, the district is required to inform students that they can prevent recruiters from obtaining their contact information via this option.

The fact that the military recruits on campus is not a major problem. Even if the military does contact students, students still have a choice between joining and not joining. Students and administrators have nothing to worry about.