Controversial high school recruiting
is explained

Regarding Cathy Carlson’s letter in the Dec. 23 T.O. Acorn,the sponsor of the Nov. 18 military recruiting event at the Thousand Oaks Library was Ventura County Supporters of Global Exchange, a local group only loosely associated with Global Exchange, which has no control over our program content.

The local group, of which I’m a member, although I speak only for myself in this letter, has each month for two years sponsored public events on public issues. Global Exchange is a 501(c) (3) human rights organization and did not sponsor this event, nor did the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).

The event was titled "Is Military Recruitment in Our Schools Fair and Ethical?" We invited various panelists including a CVUSD employee and a school board member from Simi Valley.

These school district people were going to simply explain school policies regarding a law which now allows military recruiters to access personal information about all high school juniors and seniors, unless students sign an opt-out form. The school district panelists initially accepted our invitation then declined to attend.

It is inaccurate for Carlson to describe the people who organized this event as outsiders. We all live in the Conejo Valley just like she does.

Carlson obviously thinks military recruiters should by law have access to personal student information, but this matter is open for discussion, which is exactly what we did that evening.

I’d describe the event as a lively town-hall meeting at which everyone had their way. Since the school district panelists did not attend, the remaining two panelists offered perspectives critical of releasing student information to recruiters and of the increasing militarization of our budget and society.

However, these panelists also invited two military recruiters in attendance to come forward and share their pro-military, pro-recruitment views.

I invite people to attend our events and participate in the democratic process of public discussion.

Our next event, on environmental issues, is 7 p.m., Jan. 4 at the Newbury Park Library.

Jim Yarbrough

Newbury Park