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Veterans for Peace banned

By MARLON A. WALKER
Published February 12, 2006

A St. Petersburg police officer got the message from his radio.

"Five."

That was the number of people heading toward the front of Lakewood High School. They were members of Veterans for Peace, a group seeking to educate students about what they call the reality they will face if they enlist in the U.S. Army.

School officials said they were on orders from the Pinellas County School Board to keep the group off the campus. Extra police officers were on hand in case the situation got out of hand.

The officers approached the group, hoping for a peaceful resolution.

"The school's in violation of our First Amendment rights," said Dwight Lawton, president of the Veterans for Peace Tampa Bay chapter.

"You can address that with the School Board," one of the officers said.

"Now you're in violation of our First Amendment rights," Lawton told the officer.

"You can address that with the School Board," the officer said again.

As soon as it started, it was over.

"We want to caution them based on our experiences and get them to ask questions of the military recruiters," said Lawton, 75, a Korean War veteran. "Some of the things these kids are saying ... "I'm poor, I'm black, I'm Hispanic. I got to find a way out of here.' (The Army) is offering these bonuses, which they may not get."

Dennis Duda, Lakewood's principal, said the group's gripe is more about who is getting access to speak to the students.

"Their issue is that the military speaks to our students," Duda said. "(The military) offers postsecondary opportunities. I'm sure (Veterans for Peace's) cause is worthy, but they don't offer any postsecondary opportunities."

On the contrary, Lawton said.

"We want to provide them with alternative careers and resources," he said.

Duda said that's not what he has been told.

"They've never brought that to my attention," he said.

Lawton said the whole issue is just another way for schools to censor what students hear. He said the group plans further action in the coming week.

[Last modified February 12, 2006, 00:26:20]