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Schools
Antiwar vets get school access
The group can present alternatives to military service.
By Donna Winchester, Times StaffWriter
Published August 29, 2007
After more than a year's deliberation, the Pinellas School Board on Tuesday granted access to groups wishing to present alternatives to military service to high school students. The decision means that after a 21/2-year ban, antiwar groups such as Veterans for Peace will be allowed on Pinellas County high school campuses - as long as their intent is to present an alternative to the message delivered by military recruiters. The board's adoption of an "access to students" policy, which came after several draft versions, makes Pinellas the first large district in the state to approve such a plan, School Board attorney Jim Robinson said. "What you see now," Robinson said, "is a much simplified rule that simply states that to the same extent that military recruiters are granted access to students, so will persons who seek to propose alternative post-secondary careers and opportunities." The new policy includes several caveats, which apply to all individuals or groups seeking access to students, including college and military recruiters. Visits must be scheduled in advance with school administrators. No more than two visitors can meet with students at one time without permission from the principal. Meetings can take place before and after school and at lunch time only, and all visitors must wear district-issued identification badges while on campus. The policy also gives principals the right to deny access to any group or individual who "becomes disruptive." That was a sticking point with some members of Veterans for Peace, the group that brought the question of student access to the district in April 2006. Several wanted the policy to be more specific regarding what activities qualified as "disruptive," fearing visitors could be arbitrarily dismissed without just cause. Nevertheless, Veterans for Peace member Linda Hubner said she was thrilled with the board's unanimous decision to approve the access policy. "This is what we've wanted all along," Hubner said, "the chance to give kids the information they need to make life and death decisions." Two years ago, Pinellas officials denied the group access to students, saying the veterans' message didn't correspond with school goals. The group had cited legal precedent that it would constitute "viewpoint discrimination."
[Last modified August 29, 2007, 12:31:34]
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by mario
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09/12/07 11:28 AM
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VFP is only going to give their viewpoint, not career options like college and recruiter visits. u cant join VFP because u have to be a vet, and to be a vet you have to serve in the military...hmmm contradicting??
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by Brian
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09/06/07 03:33 PM
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Who's fault is it that alternative careers are scarse? The US economy only gives the rich a decent life. Those not living in poverty can either work 50 to 80 hrs/week to have money left after basic expenses or choose a career that exploits people.
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by PFC Meta
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08/31/07 01:11 PM
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"vets for peace" is a group of dishonest cowards, I would not want them to go to my son's school
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by Mike
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08/30/07 03:46 PM
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The US gov't already censors by detaining protesters and banning books like "America Deceived" from Amazon. Free Speech forever.
Last link (before Google Books drops the title):
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-38523-0
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by Meredith
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08/30/07 02:26 PM
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Excellent news! Thank you Pinellas for letting our brave veterans talk to kids directly.
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by Dilbert
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08/30/07 01:54 PM
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The military should be banned from recruiting until we start fighting wars as a means of DEFENSE instead of CORPORATE EMPIRE.
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by Jim
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08/30/07 01:53 PM
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I have a great but sad story that happens to me (a parent) in a Pinellas County School.My story indicates how rotten Pinellas County School employees can be.
If interested e-mail me back at:
dddg100@msn.com
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by ROBERT
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08/30/07 01:46 PM
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These kids need to understand what they would be dying for. As a Viet Vet,like most others,I found it was all about greed and power
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by Martee
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08/30/07 12:11 PM
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Military Recruiting is most successful with the poor (bonus $$$)-- a draft with only medical exemptions would assure that even the wealthy would serve. Would Bush have started this war if he had served? Thanks VFP for giving the kids alternative info
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by mike
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08/30/07 02:29 AM
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The military is the biggest clouder of the truth--they are liars above all..
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by Ron
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08/29/07 07:56 PM
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I assume that the Veterans for Peace are going to be offering the graduates a job, that includes complete healthcare. If not, they are not presenting the students with an alternative career after graduation.
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by Paul
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08/29/07 04:58 PM
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Unacceptable. What next? People against what? this just opens the doors for other groups to espouse their propaganda onto our youth. What if a group wants to protest lawyers? Doctors? Journalists? Will they be allowed access to schools? Likely not.
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by Paul
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08/29/07 02:46 PM
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and this is different how? When I was in school you always had recruts. in school as well as other groups Colleges, vocational etc.
caution should be given to make sure political agendas are not being exspressed to cloud the truth.
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