Tucson's largest school district place restrictions on military recruiters

Associated Press, courtesy of this site

New restrictions have been placed on military recruiters by Tucson's largest school district.
Recently, the Tucson Unified School District adopted new rules that restrict visits by military recruiters to once a month per school.

The district adopted the rules after parents complained that their children felt pressured by military recruiters who were showing up four times a week at Tucson High Magnet School.

"There were some real discrepancies in how our schools were dealing with recruiters," said Ross Sheard, who supervises 36 TUSD principals and worked on the new directive. "We wanted to standardize it and have it the same at every school."

Under federal law, military recruiters must receive the same access to high-school students as job or college recruiters.

Schools are also required to provide military recruiters with names, addresses and phone numbers of students, unless parents object in writing.


At first I thought "Right on!", but I now that I think about it more, I realize that I, myself, don't feel pressure when I see the recruiters at my school. They don't talk to you unless you talk to them. Its not like they're saying "HEY YOU BEST SIGN UP!!!!" just by sitting at a table outside the cafeteria.

Maybe I just take it personally because my own brother came to our school a few months ago as a Navy recruiter, but I think it would be more of a statement to let the recruiters come whenever they want and let the news report about how no one wants to enlist.

But hey, what do I know?