[SDCPJ] Urgent: Check San Diego Unified student enrollment forms

To students and relatives of students in the San Diego Unified School District:

 

Please check the enrollment confirmation forms that are being distributed for students this year. Specifically, look at question #28 and please tell us if "yes" was already checked when the form was given to you.

 

Question #28 asks:

 

"Is it okay to release your child's information to military recruiters?" Next to it are places to check "yes" or "no."

 

We are aware that some--maybe most--secondary students are being given these forms with "yes" preselected, giving the parent and student the impression that they have no choice in the matter.

 

It is true that federal law requires schools to release a list of students' names, addresses and phone numbers to military recruiters if it's requested, but the law also states that parents and students MUST be told that they have the right to opt out of any such releases. San Diego Unified is apparently ignoring this law and making the decision for its students!

 

You can help us put a stop to this violation of privacy by helping us document the existence of these pre-printed forms (a sample blank form is attached). (We've heard of at least one past case where one was issued with "yes" preselected for an elementary student, even though it only applies to secondary students.)

 

We need students and relatives of students in San Diego to check their enrollment forms. If "yes" has been preselected for question #28, please let us know and MAKE A COPY of the form before altering that section and before turning it into the school. If you wish to block release of the student's information after you make a copy of the form, you should check "no" at question #28, circle your check, and add a parent's signature below it with an arrow pointing to the check mark. To add insurance, a student or parent should fill out a separate opt-out form and turn it into the student's school. You can download such a form at:
http://www.projectyano.org/pdf/opt_out_form_bilingual_national.pdf

 

This is a very brazen violation of privacy rights, probably of the No Child Left Behind Act as well. If nothing is done about it, undesired releases of student contact information could occur as early as October. The Education Not Arms Coalition is hoping to get the district's attention and convince it to postpone the release until something is done to correct the mistake made this year and a better procedure is adopted for the future.

 

Rick Jahnkow
For the Education Not Arms Coalition

www.projectyano.org/educationnotarms
760-634-3604

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