By: Luke Clausen
The Des Moines Public Schools has launched its Reimagining Education initiative starting this school year, 2024-2025. One aspect of this initiative is the “Diploma+” program, designed to help students prepare for their post-secondary future, whether that be college, the trades, language learning, or other paths. Military enlistment is, by federal mandate, required to be placed on equal footing with all other options.
Mindful that military recruitment is falling short in its goals as reported by Spectrum News Service, (https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2024/07/09/army-10th-mountain-recruiting-struggles#), we should all be concerned that there not be greater pressure on schools to serve as recruiting agents for the Pentagon.“Equal access” does not mean “free
access” and it is up to all of us to be sure that our high school students are
not easy prey to fulfill recruitment goals.
The DMPS school district has not been very forthcoming about
details on this aspect of their initiative and the role of the military in it.
As such, CPM suggests it is important to have ongoing conversations with the
students in your lives to get an idea of how much the military is being pushed
on them and letting families know that they have the option to opt out of
having to hear about military enlistment at school. Families need to request an
“opt – out” form from their school administrative office. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/newsletters/april-2018/military-recruiters-%E2%80%93-parent-opt-out-provisions-un
There is a role for community members as well. If you have
concerns about the recruitment practices in your school district, or as may be
the case with “Diploma +”, efforts to expand the recruitment practices, contact
the administration, attend school board meetings, and express your concerns.
It’s important to raise your concerns, ask questions and insist on answers.
Some questions your school boards should be prepared to answer:
How much money does DMPS receive from the Department of Defense every year?
How is information on opting out of military enlistment conveyed?
Does the DMPS make an effort to bring in other service such as
the Peace Corps, Vista, AmeriCorps, or many other such organizations?
Are you students receiving the full picture about military
enlistment?
Are the promises made to potential recruits realistic?
What percent of enlistees actually benefit from college
opportunities after they’ve completed their military service.
How many military skills translate to civilian jobs?
Do women in the military face a higher risk of sexual harassment
and assault than they do in civilian life?
Who talks with the students about the experience of war, post
war, and physical and mental damage to those returning from war?
Perhaps we cannot yet stop wars but by being involved we can at
least keep our children from being easy targets for Pentagon propaganda.
Opt out:
Luke Clausen
is an Intern at Catholic Peace Ministry and a Drake University Senior in Des Moines.
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