Civil Liberties Union Protests Military Presence In Schools
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A new Department of Education policy allowing military recruiters to access high school student information has some up in arms.
The New York Civil Liberties Union gathered in Downtown Manhattan on Wednesday to call on the DOE to change the policy, which grants recruiters access to student information via the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
"The new changes that the department of education is making by centralizing all student information, it's really making you wonder whether or not they really want to, you know, preserve your future, or send you off to the military," said student Sabita Ramsaran.
"These military recruiters now have the ultimate advantage," said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. "They don't have to meet the principal, they don't have to meet sympathetic teachers who want to make sure that they protect their kids."
The DOE sent a letter to the NYCLU saying schools will review the lists beforehand to make sure all students who opted out are listed as such.
Opt-out information and forms are available on the DOE website.