Database being kept on High School Students

Big brother keeping track!

Published on June 27, 2005 By foreverserenity In Current Events

I just read an article wherein the Pentagon is keeping a database of high school students’ personal information for recruitment purposes. Although it is against the law to do this, they are doing it anyway! That’s millions of high school students all over this country who are 16-18 years old!

I heard this story several months ago and at the time, the government issued a statement that this wasn’t true. Now it is a fact, they are doing this! In my birth country there is a saying; “wen sumpten nuh go su e gu su” that is, if you hear a story, or news repeated by everyone, especially different versions of the same information, at different times, then it’s likely to be true. This story I heard a long time ago, is now true!

The first time I heard about it, I decided that I was going to write an “Opt-out” letter to my daughter’s high school. Not because I’m not patriotic but because I didn’t feel that it is right for them to keep data about her or to approach her without my permission. So I wrote that letter today after reading this. And I’m mailing it to them.

While I support my country in every way, I feel that a teenager should not be influenced in any way to make decisions that they would be likely be coerced or influenced into making. These recruiting practices would be different if it was absolutely necessary and if she was adult enough to make such a decision for herself without consulting her parents. In my opinion, I don’t agree with this at all and it should not be allowed to continue!

Here's a link to that story: Link

Comments (Page 1)

foreverserenity

on Jun 27, 2005

((((bump-to-bump)))

Dr Guy

on Jun 27, 2005

I did not read the denial, but this is fairly common knowledge and a by product of NCLB. Nothing evil (in fact, the exact same information is already available at other sites, just not the DOD). Just looking for recruits.

And no I dont like it, but we are trading freedom for money. Fed money, our freedom.

Janders

on Jun 27, 2005

While it might not be "common knowledge", I am definetly not suprised at this. In high school, there was always recruiters at our school, it's a big area full of their "target market".

bakerstreet

on Jun 27, 2005

eh, how is this any different than what college recruiters do? I took part in my own college's marketing campaign, and they hired a number of such consultants to help them organize and store information about potential students. They wen't to local high schools very often and gleaned kids. We had info on High School freshmen and sophomores.

The part of the NCLB act mentioned just required schools to give recruiters the same access that they give other technical schools and colleges.

This is a non-issue. The government has all your sensitive data, so saying it is illegal for them to have it is kind of goofy, isn't it? I mean, who actually issues your social security number, your selective service card, etc?

I'm hard pressed of something stored in this database that they wouldn't already have. You are on your parents taxes along with your social security number, address, etc.

foreverserenity

on Jun 28, 2005

And no I dont like it, but we are trading freedom for money. Fed money, our freedom.

That's exactly what's wrong with this. To receive federal money schools have to allow themselves to be accessible in every which way, at the mercy of the federal government and others who promise them money for use of their space or unlimited access to the children in the school or information about the children. That kind of practise is absolutely wrong and should not be allowed!

it's a big area full of their "target market".

Yep, target children. They are impressionable aren't they?!

And that is why a lot of college students end up in such financial trouble. Before they have time to "think", they have a dozen credit cards and use them at will and end up in a financial nightmare!

College and high school students are great target markets. After all this is America's young. Why not get to them before they actually become adults. While a college student, some fo them anyway, will be able to discern right from wrong and might actually think twice before comitting themselves to something (at least some do), a high school student is still considered pretty young to be targeted by all and sundry!

I don't think it's a non-issue Baker, not at all. Since they do already have these private information from the parents taxes, why not store the information from that source? Why bother to go into the schools and do what they do?

And don't even get me started on social security numbers. Why is it such a common thing for every governmental and private organizations to identify you with your social securiy number? Why not have customer numbers set up for this purpose and keep the social security numbers private so that not everyone can have access to it without the person's permission? This is why identity theft is now so rampant. These numbers are open to all and accessable to all.

bakerstreet

on Jun 28, 2005

"I don't think it's a non-issue Baker, not at all. Since they do already have these private information from the parents taxes, why not store the information from that source? Why bother to go into the schools and do what they do? "

Because we have a horribly ineffecient government that doesn't work well with each other.

The real problem with social security numbers isn't the government, actually. It wasn't them that decided to make that the standard for PRIVATE credit identification. Had there been some other way devised by credit card companies for their own industry, the only thing your social would be good for would be... well... social security.

The government isn't to blame that your social is laying around in a thousand places at any time. It is stuffed in countless filing cabinets, swapped betwen credit services, etc. The military storing it doesn't really make it any more unsafe in the great scheme of things.

dynamaso

on Jun 28, 2005

Thank goodness this doesn't happen in Australia. I'm not naive enough to believe the Aussie government doesn't have a bunch of information about me and other adults. Hell, I spent ten years in the Australian Airforce and had to obtain a top-secret security classification along the way. There are probably things they know about me that I don't even know. However, I do object the the idea of a government keeping records about children. As Baker rightly points out, often times the left hand of the government doesn't have any clue what the right hand is doing. With this knowledge, the thing that concerns me is who is able to access the data mentioned and how is it used. In the wrong hands, this data could be used to take advantage of the kids, which is wrong in any terms

foreverserenity

on Jun 29, 2005

The real problem with social security numbers isn't the government, actually. It wasn't them that decided to make that the standard for PRIVATE credit identification. Had there been some other way devised by credit card companies for their own industry

Yes, I realise that. Unfortunately there should have been very strong rules and regulations about these companies being allowed to do this, use SS # to identify clients.

the only thing your social would be good for would be... well... social security

This is correct and so it should be!

As Baker rightly points out, often times the left hand of the government doesn't have any clue what the right hand is doing.

And I agree with this statement too.

With this knowledge, the thing that concerns me is who is able to access the data mentioned and how is it used. In the wrong hands, this data could be used to take advantage of the kids, which is wrong in any terms

Exactly! This is pretty much my concern too. There have been a few incidents lately of two major firms here in the US whose sole responsibility is to collect data and personal information on consumers. Guess what... both companies database have been broken into by someone and information leaked. So there goes private information to be used for God knows what!

pseudosoldier

on Jul 01, 2005

Since they do already have these private information from the parents taxes, why not store the information from that source? Why bother to go into the schools and do what they do?

You don't think it's so that they can specifically "target" the prospects that are receptive to their message? Perhaps that sounds bad to you... the military might actually put people in like that! I feel it's certainly preferable to bothering all the prospects that have no interest whatsoever, and it doesn't cost as much...

foreverserenity

on Jul 05, 2005

You don't think it's so that they can specifically "target" the prospects that are receptive to their message? Perhaps that sounds bad to you... the military might actually put people in like that!

No it actually doesn't sound bad to me at all and they have, I'm sure, gotten people into the army like that.

I feel it's certainly preferable to bothering all the prospects that have no interest whatsoever, and it doesn't cost as much...

No I guess it doesnt' cost too much except for whatever the federal money is that is going into the schools.

What I take issue with is they are doing this without the parents knowledge. I'm not saying that they shouldn't inform these age group of the choices they have and the good things the military have to offer. I have a niece who did go into the Navy and so far has done pretty well being there. I have friends whose children are enrolled whether it be Navy, Army or Airforce.

The point is, a lot of parents don't know that their children are being approached about this as a career choice while they are in high school.

drmiler

on Jul 05, 2005

The point is, a lot of parents don't know that their children are being approached about this as a career choice while they are in high school.

And why should they? Does the school involve the parents in all the taught material? Do they tell parents when college recruiters talk to their kids? No, they don't. It's the same premise. They are not asking the children to sign a bonding agreement. The point is that this has been going on for "quite" awhile. And until now "NO ONE" has complained about it.

Reiki-House

on Jul 05, 2005

Maybe no one knows it or someone may have already mentioned it but this has been going on for three years already. So clearly someone has been lying to the people again.

drmiler

on Jul 05, 2005

Maybe no one knows it or someone may have already mentioned it but this has been going on for three years already. So clearly someone has been lying to the people again.

Maybe you just don't get it. NO ONE has been lying to ANYONE!! They are NOT reqired to tell anyone that they are doing this! So if they're not required to tell anyone, then how exactly are they lying?

foreverserenity

on Jul 07, 2005

And why should they?

And why shouldn't they drmiler?

Does the school involve the parents in all the taught material?

I believe I know my kids curriculum for every class they have taken. This is definately necessary information for parents to be able to help their children or get tutors if needed.

Do they tell parents when college recruiters talk to their kids? No, they don't.

Actually, sometimes they do. Not all the time, but sometimes. Then I see lots and lots of letters coming to our home addressed to my daughter like they have been recently.

They are not asking the children to sign a bonding agreement.

That's what I'm afraid of...I don't know if they even would think of having them sign anything they don't know about.

The point is that this has been going on for "quite" awhile. And until now "NO ONE" has complained about it.

Exactly. It's been going on for a long time now.

The point is that this has been going on for "quite" awhile. And until now "NO ONE" has complained about it.

I'm only now aware of it because I've heard other parents talk about it, and heard it in the news as well. Now there's a write up in the paper.

I'm not trying to knock heads drmiler, I'm just trying to answer your points here with what I know. The thing is, I'm not saying they're lying, just that they should tell parents that they're doing this. It is the school's responsibility to let the parents know what's going on in their children's school. Nothing wrong with that.

This is not about condemning or saying I don't want my childrent to know about the military. Heck, they know about it, we have family enrolled, we know the good of being in it - after all they do take care of you...education and all that, right? If and when she makes the decision to be a part of our great military, I'll support whatever she decides to do. I just would like to know that they are talking to my teenager and that she's not being pressured to do something because her other friends are doing it too.

drmiler

on Jul 07, 2005

Actually, sometimes they do. Not all the time, but sometimes. Then I see lots and lots of letters coming to our home addressed to my daughter like they have been recently.

There is the operative word......"sometimes"! But they are NOT REQUIRED to do so. And no it may not be a big deal to you personally. But how long do you think it'll take before some clown DOES make a big deal about it?

They are not asking the children to sign a bonding agreement.

That's what I'm afraid of...I don't know if they even would think of having them sign anything they don't know about.

Think this through logically for a moment by US law your offspring CAN NOT sign a binding agreement until the age of 18 or unless they have been enmancipated. At the point either of legal age or through emancipation what the military chooses to talk to them about or what they sign is no concern of yours at that point. And before that you don't have to sweat it, do you?

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