Sometimes, I am proud of my town. From the San Francisco Chronicle:
Berkeley High remains the only high school in the nation that has failed to comply with the military’s request for students’ data, a Department of Defense spokesman said.
A month ago, the school — under pressure from the government to release the data or lose funding — changed its policy that blocked the release of students’ personal information. The new policy allows students and parents who do not wish to be contacted by military recruiters to opt out by signing a form.
But the school did not immediately release the data to the government. Instead, a group of parents have been on a campaign to ask each and every student whether they want to opt out.
Thus far, 90 percent of the students at Berkeley High have refused to have their names released to miliary recruiters.
Berkeley High risked losing $10 million in federal funding, and possibly faced legal action, if it did not change its policy regarding military recruitment.
The controversy began in 2001, when the federal No Child Left Behind law passed. . . .
“Not a lot of people know what’s going on with the war,” said Krystal Elebiary, a junior who joined with student Daniel Sandoval to write a letter and collect about 250 student signatures proclaiming, “We will not be used as tools for an unjust and imperialist war.”
Thanks to Mary Theroux for the story.
