Click here to visit other RealCities sites Help Contact Us Site Index ... Newspaper Subscriptions Search Search the Archives Living Columnists Community Education Higher Learning ... Travel Our Site Tools Weather Akron Cleveland Cincinnati Local Events Yellow Pages Discussion Boards Back to Home ... Living Wednesday, Apr 09, 2003 Education Posted on Thu, Jan. 30, 2003 Private schools can refuse recruiters Public schools, which get federal funds, must give info on students to military By Doug Oplinger and Dennis J. Willard Beacon Journal staff writers When a military recruiter asks Akron Public Schools for the names, addresses and phone numbers of high school juniors and seniors, the district is bound by federal law to oblige. The Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines as the nation prepares for possible war then go to work, hoping to talk teen-agers into serving their country. If a recruiter makes the same request from some private schools such as Archbishop Hoban, St. Vincent-St. Mary or Walsh Jesuit the request is denied. In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Congress and President Bush approved a law giving military recruiters more access to students. But they also provided an escape clause for private schools, where about one in 10 kids in Ohio and nationally attends classes. Laurie Sellick, the mother of a senior at Firestone High School in Akron, is uncomfortable with the schools' giving anyone especially the military easy access to her son. She is equally troubled that students in private schools are off limits. | |
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