By AP
Louisville, KY – A civil liberties activist saays school officials should better inform parents of their right to keep their childrens' information from military recruiters.
Beth Wilson says some schools are putting notices in handbooks or newsletters rather than providing separate forms to students. Wilson is director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky. She recently sent a letter to 176 school superintendents.
The 2002 "No Child Left Behind Act" requires schools to provide names, addresses and phone numbers to recruiters or risk losing federal funding...unless parents "opt out". The law didn't specify how schools should notify parents of that right and procedures vary among schools.
Kentucky education officials let districts decide how to notify parents.
This fall, about 24% of Louisville public high school students opted to keep their information private, up from about 20% last year.
Military recruiters say information from schools helps them to make home visits and calls and send promotional material.