COUNTYWIDE : County Issue: Schools Providing Names to Recruiters

Three of the largest school districts in Ventura County provide the names and addresses of students to military recruiters for a fee. Other districts provide the information with the consent of parents and students, or not at all. Should students’ names and addresses be sold to military recruiting officers?

Joseph P. Spirito, Ph.D., Assistant superintendent, Ventura Unified School District

We follow the policy that was set up in our school district by the board. We send home a notice to parents informing them of their rights and responsibilities as parents of minor pupils. The parents of all students who enter high school are given this form. If they sign the form, then no information goes out. If they do not sign the form, then we give out, for recruitment purposes only, the names and addresses of senior students only. We have had no problems with this because the parents have the right to say yes or no. If they say yes, then we give the information to recruiters. Since the start of the war we have had recruiters calling asking for more names, and we’ve said we gave you all we have. We just follow what the school board allows us to do. If you’re asking me personally what I would do concerning my own son, my answer would be that I would sign no. I’m just not interested in having my son get involved in the armed forces, unless, of course, that’s what he wanted to do and he was of legal age to make his own decision.

Gilbert G. Cuevas, Counselor, Hueneme High School

I think they should be made available only with parent consent. In my own case with my son, the recruiters were very persistent and came to my house at 10 o’clock at night a few years back. I really resented it at the time. I realize they have a job to do, but they can be a nuisance. If the students are not totally fluent in English, they can be misled. I have two students right now who somehow got signed up. They did not clearly understand what they were doing. Personally, I wish there would be a school counselor that would advise the students before they actually sign anything. Keep in mind the recruiters don’t have a quota, but certainly they’re expected to sign up students. I’m sure they wouldn’t remain working if they didn’t recruit anyone. They have pressures. Something like 37% of the front-line troops in the Persian Gulf are minority. If you juxtapose that figure with figures indicating one of four blacks between the ages of 20 and 29 either are on probation or in prison, you get a clear picture that something is drastically wrong. If there aren’t too many options open to young people, they’re going to select whatever course is available.

Staff Sgt. John J. Malloy, U.S. Army recruiter

My own personal opinion is yes, the list should be made available--free of charge. I think every kid in America should do a six- or eight-month tour with the military at a minimum, just for the discipline and independence it instills. It opens their minds up and gets them away from mother’s skirt and dad’s backhand. It worked for me. I was 21 when I came in. It was the best thing that happened to me. We recruiters have different means of getting lists. From what I understand, we have only one list we had to pay for and that cost $25, and it was incomplete because it was done on a volunteer basis. Selling the Army is just like a real estate agent trying to sell somebody’s house: We knock on doors, make telephone calls and get names from colleges and high schools. You have to believe in what you’re selling, and I certainly do. We are not a last resort in employment any more. You need a high school diploma--minimum--and you must score high on the aptitude test. Right now 80% to 90% of the enlisted ranks are high school graduates. Our college fund can provide from $17,000 to $25,000 for college.”

Adrian E. Palazuelos, Student, Hueneme High School

I don’t really approve of it because it’s an invasion. Kids are going to school, and their job is to be a student. If you’re getting bothered by Army recruiters saying, “Hey man, come on down,” it gets in the way. During the Gulf crisis this is something you really want to be hearing about. Like recruiters saying, “Would you like to go over there and risk your life?” Yeah, I really want to join with this war going on! It could give you a bad outlook on life. It’s a lot of pressure. A kid on my block was called several times by someone in the Army. The last time they called he said “please get rid of my number and just don’t call me anymore.” They got his name from a list from his school. They would tell him, “Come on down and we’ll give you breakfast or dinner and take you around and have you meet other people.” They would say “If you join and if you get another friend to join you’ll be up to an E-2.” He is still a student, a senior in high school! But it is an option for students not doing well in school. They can get into the armed forces and they can learn a trade--be an electrician or an aircraft mechanic. Maybe the schools should send out the grade point average along with the name.

Marlene E. Davis, Ph.D., Superintendent, Fillmore Unified School District

I do not think we should make the names and addresses known to recruiters. I’ve been involved with this for a long time now, having been a high school principal and counselor before that, and I know that when we make names available, kids come under heavy pressure. I used to work in a district where we let the names out. Some of the recruiters were unscrupulous. I don’t think we need to be doing their work for them. I don’t know how much money they spend on advertising, but they must spend a lot. I can’t help but notice numerous ads. I do not want to imply that I’m opposed to the armed services, and I do support the volunteer Army. I just believe that schools are the last protective environment for young people. We are charged with the responsibility of educating the children and in a sense giving them a somewhat protective environment when we teach them the realities of the world. I’m speaking for myself, not the board of education, although our board policy is not to give names. It would be OK with me if the parents wanted the names released, but I would not release names without parent-student consent.