The No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to notify parents of the option to request that their child's name, address and telephone number not be sent to military recruiters.

However, many schools have made little or no attempt to publicize this option, and few make the effort to help parents understand what to do.

A student or parent wishing to protect privacy must actively contact the school to opt out and protect their personal information. Many school districts have a form you can sign to keep your child's name off the list sent to recruiters, but if yours doesn't you can get this generic opt-out form and turn it in to your school.

How to Help

If you missed our June 11 planning session on implementing an opt-out campaign at your school, the information below will help you. If you'd like to connect with other folks in Madison and around the state who are doing this, contact us at info@tamewisconsin.org and ask to be added to the TAME e-mail discussion list.

Download TAME's 10-page Opt-Out packet, which includes suggestions and materials

Contact your school to find out how you can help inform parents/students about their right to stay off the school's military recruiter contact list. Early fall activities area often planned before school gets out in spring, so get in touch soon. Some ideas: fall registration; parent nights; orientation; career nights. You might want to talk to other parents or school staff to find out the most effective way to approach the school administration.

Tips for a successful opt-out campaign

Talking points for starting an opt-out campaign in your school

More information at the Leave My Child Alone web site.

You can create your own display & informational flyers or download these samples and customize them for your school:

• Flyer
• Frequently Asked Questions for volunteers
• Poster parts: Title - Subtitle
• Poster - 1 page info
• Opt-Out Form - use it as is or customize it for your school/district
• The Important Questions Parents Should Be Asking about recruiters in the high schools

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Today, military recruiters have unprecedented access to public schools due to a little-known element of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Section 9528). The Pentagon has the right to access contact information for students in all public high schools to facilitate contact for military service recruitment.

Military recruiters are salespeople, not counselors, and often provide skewed and inaccurate information to potential recruits.We believe it should not be an inherent part of public school education to be pressured to sign an irrevocable contract and join the U.S. armed forces.

While we respect that most have honorable intentions to serve their country by enlisting, we believe that the reality of military service is in many aspects far different from what people are led to expect. We hope to provide enough information to help you make a truly informed decision.