COUNTERING MILITARY RECRUITMENT
Articles: Counter-Recruitment: General
Activists disrupt School Board meeting again
JESSICA BLANCHARD, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
July 12, 2007
For the third time in three months, a rowdy group of students and community members opposed to military recruiting in high schools disrupted a Seattle School Board meeting Wednesday -- and promised to keep going back until they believe they have been heard.At Wednesday's meeting, they expressed frustration that the board is considering policy changes that would limit -- but not ban -- military recruiting in Seattle's public high schools.
The group hopes to persuade board members to adopt a stricter policy and has held rallies and attended district meetings over the past few months in an effort to press the case.
"The School Board needs to take a stand against allowing these aggressive recruiters into our schools," said Ramy Khalil, one of several who spoke during the public-testimony portion of the meeting.
Speakers' comments were punctuated with whoops and chants of "Books not bombs!" and "This is what democracy looks like!"
Their activity earned several rebukes from School Board President Cheryl Chow, who warned the unruly audience members that they would be kicked out of the meeting if they didn't show some respect.
Under the recruiting proposal, colleges, employers and branches of the military would each be allowed two visits per school, per year. The district would compile an annual report on the number of students who opted out of providing information to the military and maintain a Web site that would offer information on school recruitment policies and opt-out forms.
Board member Brita Butler-Wall, who heads the committee recommending the recruiting changes, said she is sympathetic to the students' stance but worries that it would be needlessly restrictive.
She said she does not believe that "it's in the best interest of our students to ban all college recruiters from high schools, which would be required if we chose to ban all military recruiters."
The board is expected to vote on the changes to the policy at its meeting Aug. 1.
The disruptions Wednesday did not prevent the board from unanimously approving a $519 million operating budget. The board also approved a capital budget of about $180 million, with board member Mary Bass dissenting.
The operating budget covers expenses such as educators' salaries and benefits, school supplies and transportation. Capital budget money is used to pay for construction projects, technology upgrades and equipment.
This year was the first in which district officials first considered academic needs and priorities before developing the budget.
"The budget is one that is guided by our academic goals, and that is exactly the kind of budget we need to be working for every year," said board member Michael DeBell, who heads the board's finance committee.
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