Is Bush justified in doing this?

[jz]

NEW LAW LETS ARMY GET INFO ON HS KIDS

By CARL CAMPANILE
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July 17, 2002 -- U.S. military recruiters have the authority to demand that education officials turn over the names, addresses and phone numbers of high-school students under a new federal law.
President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" law orders school bosses from New York and across the country to comply with the new edict - or risk losing federal funds.

At the beginning of the school year, parents will be given an opportunity to call school officials to "opt out" of disclosing their child's personal information.

Access to student records is a boon to the military in urban areas, where many young men fail to register for the draft, as required by law.

The compliance rate in the Big Apple is one of the lowest among major U.S. cities, said Lewis Brodsky, a spokesman for the Selective Service. Only 49 percent of young men in New York register after turning 18.

The Selective Service had complained that until recently, it was difficult to get city officials to make recruiters welcome in their schools.

"We're aware of the provision. It's part of the law and we will comply," said Board of Education spokesman Kevin Ortiz.

Critics of the draft said giving the military access to student information smacks of Big Brother.

"We're opposed to it. It shows that the government can't be trusted to keep any information confidential," said George Getz, national spokesman for the Libertarian Party and the Campaign to End the Selective Service.

But U.S. Rep. John Isakson (R-Ga.) told The Post he pushed for the amendment after a school district in his area refused to provide military recruiters with information to contact students, which he found reprehensible.

So the military can now demand personal records from our educational institutions or else funding is lost? This makes homeschooling a much more attractive alternative in the future. Sure, it's done under the mantra of enforcing registration, but we all know it extends beyond that. Pretty soon nothing will be sacred.

[jz]

Actually, I'm guessing Ashcroft is behind this...Bush just caves in easily.

[Paft]

NO!

Never was, never will be.

Good freaking gods that guy is Hitler incarnate!!!

[jz]

How the opt-out works will be interesting. If actual registration is that low in some places, imagine how low the opt-out will be...most people will be completely unaware.

[CiscoKid]

They could get the same info even without the law...

I took the ASVAB my senior year in HS and they got my contact information from my school. Why? I scored highest for the entire 200 or so students who took the test at the same time. For that reason, they wanted me, wanted me BAD...all the local recruiters knew me by name...

[TonyT]

Ther law says that 18 yr olds must register for the selective service. It's the law. I think this new plan will save millions that would have to get spent rounding up the youth who fail to comply with the law.

besides, the govt already has info about all kids who's parebts have ever fuiled a tax return.