Under various laws passed by the U.S. Congress (NCLB and the so-called Solomon Amendments), high schools and colleges that receive federal money are required to grant military representatives the same access to schools that is given to employer and college recruiters.
The laws only specify, however, that military representatives must be given the same access. Schools are not obligated, therefore, to grant military recruiters any type or frequency of access that is not enjoyed by college and employment recruiters. In recognition of this equal access mandate, some high school districts have passed policies that limit military recruiters in order to achieve balance.
Many high schools allow recruiters unfettered access to kids. The recruiters are often free to roam the hallways and "chill" with kids. On campus, they may perform the following functions:
- Career and academic counseling
- Coaching teams, conditioning athletes
- Providing interactive recruiting vans with shooting simulators
- Presentations to the Student Government, PTA and School Board
- Training the school color guard and facilitating flag raising/Pledge of Allegiance
- Helping with school registration
- Assuming a leading role in the homecoming parade
- Chaperoning at homecoming dance and other dances throughout the year
- Presenting reactionary views to history and government classes
- Attending home football games and officiating halftime football ceremonies
- Timekeeper
- Recruiter vs. Faculty basketball games
- On stage at graduation
- Security -- recruiters carry concealed weapons
NOTE: Here are some recommended links available to better inform you as a parent. This is a work in progress and NNOMY will be adding new documents as they are prepared and as policies change that effect enlistment. Check back periodically.
Links:
-
Know Your Rights (including student equal access)
- ASVAB
- JAMRS
Downloads:
- Información para padres - En español
- Know Before You Go, 'Cause There's No Reset Button
- Leave My Child Alone / Video on Military Recruitment Issues
Articles on the web:
- Growing Problem for Military Recruiters: Parents
- Parents caught off guard by military recruiting policy (archived)
- Georgia Parents Fight Military High School
- Military Recruitment v. Right of Privacy (VIDEO)
- Hanson v. Rumsfeld (Challenging DOD military recruitment database of high school students) The Complaint (PDF)
Please consider supporting The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth
and our work to demilitarize our schools and youth by sending a check to our fiscal sponsor "in our name" at the
Alliance for Global Justice.
Donate Here
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Revised: 12/08/2025 GDG
