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Leave My Child Alone!CountryUnited States RegionGlobal, Africa, North America Programme SummaryAccording to the campaign organisers, a little known section of the No Child Left Behind Act in the United States requires each high school receiving federal funding to turn over student contact information (name, address, phone number) to local military recruiters, unless parents opt out in writing. In addition, the U.S. Pentagon has created a database of personal information on 30 million 16 to 25 year-olds, including name, address, email addresses, cell phone numbers, ethnicity, social security numbers and areas of study. The Leave My Child Alone campaign is being co-ordinated by Mainstreet Moms (The MMOB) in partnership with Working Assets and the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), to raise awareness about these activities, and to advise parents of how they can protect their children's privacy and prevent unwanted recruiting. According to campaign organisers, the purpose of this "invasion of family privacy is to allow minor students to be recruited at home by telephone calls, mail and personal visits." Communication StrategiesAccording to the project organisers, the only way for parents to keep their children's contact information from military recruiters is to submit an "opt-out" letter in writing to their local school district's superintendent. To raise awareness and help parents to do this, the campaign, comprised of ongoing online and offline actions, is focused on the following goals: The Leave My Child Alone website is central to the campaign. It serves as an online tool that parents and community organisers can use to identify appropriate school district officials to address with Opt Out letters, find other parents interested in working together, and support community events where like-minded parents and friends can come together to protect their children from unwanted recruiting. Along with the website, the campaign is also using electronic communication to enable individuals to join the campaign. Interested supporters are encouraged to use the online form, to sign on as a Citizen Co-Sponsor of the Student Privacy Protection Act. Your email address will be added to the growing network of concerned citizens mobilising to protect children from the Pentagon. The website also contains a number of resources that have been developed to assist with information sharing and organising. These include Opt Out forms, Host Kits and Adopt-A-School-Board Kits, as well as fact sheets, forms and flyers. Website link buttons are also provided, so that interested individuals and organisations can add them to their websites and emails. The campaign encourages parents and individuals who would like to join the campaign to consider undertaking some small action to contribute to raising awareness and facilitating action. Organisations are encouraged to become a campaign partner and help to spread the word. Teachers are also encouraged to become involved in the campaign by finding out more about the district’s policy. If the district has a good policy, teachers are encouraged to print the Opt Out form and make these available in classrooms, at parent meetings, community centres, and administrative offices. If their district has an Opt Out form that is not satisfactory, teachers are encouraged to read and download the campaign’s "Good Policies" document and let their school know about other options. Development IssuesYouth, Rights Key PointsAccording to the Campaign website, the National Education Assocation (NEA), an organisation made up of 2.7 million teachers, opposes the mandate that schools turn over private student information to military recruiters without explicit written permission from parents. PartnersMainstreet Moms (The MMOB), Working Assets Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) ContactMainstreet Moms (The MMOB), Working Assets Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN)
Sourcee-CIVICUS, No. 262, September 9 2005 and the Leave My Child Alone website, May 10 2006. Placed on the Communication Initiative site May 10 2006 Last Updated May 10 2006 |
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