I finally figured out what the real meaning of “No Child Left Behind” is, but maybe I’m slow. Did you know that the education act of 2001 requires secondary schools that receive Federal money to release personal information about the students to military recruiters? I did not know that, as Johnny used to say, but as I say, maybe I’m slow. Now parents can opt out of this by making a request in writing to their school district, but if you don’t know, you don’t opt out and I’ll bet some people are just as slow as I am.
So now we have another predator to think about when we worry about that kid in the baggy shorts full of little plastic bags talking to our kid in the parking lot or that friendly looking guy in the black sedan. Who knows what information about your kid the schools are handing out, or where that information winds up? Colleges are not being successful in keeping recruiters off campus these days either. It took them 30 years but they’ve finally put a muzzle on campus protest.
Now back in my day, like when we locked the guy from Dow Chemical ( Napalm) in a closet and dumped Sterno on him through the transom, you could make a statement even if it earned you an FBI dossier, but you really have to be careful these days – you have to pick up every stitch.
4 comments:
And of course, "No Child Left Behind" is Mr. Bush's signature domestic achievement (according to him), though other Republicans have actually come out against the "national intrusion." So yes, the national government is using local schools to gather and report personal information for them. Remember when Republicans wanted to eliminate the Dept. of Education because the Feds had no place in education - that belonged within the purview of local communities, period. Ronald Reagan must be turning over in his grave.
Is this true?
I mean, all schools or just high schools? I can't imagine what info they would get from the grade schools, or why.
I have not read anything about an attempt to gather data from grade schools, Although I believe it's permitted by NCLB. Phone numbers, family circumstances, academic and personal records now belong to Big Brother, or should I say, Big Bush. But High Schools and colleges under the Patriot Act now must reveal virtually anything about students to the Feds secret subpoena powers and they may not tell the student it's happening.
This from the ACLU:
The USA-PATRIOT Act also allows the AG to use a secret terrorism subpoena to obtain a vast amount of information from schools that was in the past, strictly confidential and never releasable. This information includes everything from students’ test scores to extracurricular activities to financial aid and personal assets.
Too bad we don't have the Soviet Union any more because now whe we are just as bad, nobody notices.
Campus protests make a mess.
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