NO OPT-OUTS
G-schoolers can opt out of having their personal info given to army recruiters. Heretofore, we really haven’t needed that option. Now we do:
Among the main features of the Army’s master plan for reaching its 2006 recruiting goal:
…• Put more effort into recruiting people who have begun their college careers but not yet earned a degree, on the assumption that some would be interested in taking a hiatus to try military service. Also, target those of high school age who are being home schooled — a potential market the Army has largely ignored.
How is the Army getting contact information for our kids? Could it be from the state Ed Departments? My own state of NC treats our registration data as a public record, available to anyone who files a FOIA request. According to Scott Somerville, most other states do the same. IMO, home educators ought to be working at the state level to protect their privacy by exempting their personal information from public records laws. I’ve already contacted the two NC statewides, legislators, and the Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE) here.
Getting good legislation passed is never easy, fun, or fast. But there are precious few things more valuable than privacy. (via the HA-NC legislative blog)
UPDATE: There’s a lengthy discussion still going on over this post at the HEM blog.