| | | NNOMY Newsletter Third Quarter 2024 |  Click Image to Watch Video | Consent form revives debate over San Diego
Unified School District's JROTC program‍ | August 12, 2024 / Katie Hyson - Matthew Bowler / KPBS - The San Diego Unified School District has made changes to its Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps since Chicano students began campaigning for reform in 2008.
They removed shooting ranges from schools, and last year they began requiring a consent form on file for every participating student.
But San Diego Chicano/Latino Concilio on Higher Education leaders still have concerns.
They sent a letter to the Board of Education this summer, stating the form still doesn't provide students with all the information needed for fully informed consent.
It doesn’t specify that JROTC doesn’t meet any of the A-G requirements for California’s public universities, or that it’s taught by retired military officers.
Jennifer Roberson, senior director of the district’s Office of Graduation, said this year’s consent form was already distributed to schools, but they’re open to continuing conversations and possible changes to the form’s language for next year.
#JROTC #MilitaryRecruitment #SchoolMilitarization #ProjectYANO
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| | | | Utah students protest campus military recruitment, stand with Palestine, Lebanon | September 24, 2024 / Utah Students for a Democratic Society / Fight Back News - Salt Lake City, UT – Nearly a dozen student activists gathered outside the University of Utah’s career fair on September 24 to protest military recruiters present on campus.
They carried signs reading “U.S. military off campus!” and “U.S. military backs genocide, students stand with Palestine!” The action was part of Utah SDS’s campaign for divestment from Israel and war profiteers.
Activists educated students entering the Student Union about the military’s strategic support for the genocide in Gaza as well as the military’s predatory recruiting tactics, which lure in low-income youth with the promise of free education and healthcare. “There’s no honor in joining a genocidal military,” said Gabriel Casados of Utah SDS, “not to mention that 22 veterans die per day from suicide.”
The protest got support from passing students, who took pictures, and maintained unity in the face of pro-war and pro-genocide hecklers. The hecklers quickly dispersed as the students chanted, “U of Utah! We’re at your door! We won’t fight an imperialist war!” and “Money for student needs, not for genocide and greed!”
Speakers called attention to the presence of U.S. military advisors in Israel, the redeployment of military assets to the Middle East to defend Israeli genocide, and the missile strikes on Yemen in January of this year. Chants of “Yemen, Yemen, stand your ground! Turn another ship around!” filled the University Union lawn. Speakers also condemned intensified recent Israeli attacks on the Lebanese people.
Even after two low-level university bureaucrats ordered Utah SDS to move away from the career fair, the chanting, speaking and education finished as planned, protesting campus military recruitment for the full hour. Utah SDS called for a sustained campaign for Palestine and invited the crowd to attend their rally for divestment on October 3, 12 p.m. in front of the University Union. Â
#SaltLakeCityUT #UT #AntiWarMovement #Palestine #Lebanon #StudentMovement #SDS
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| | | | The US military is embedded in the gaming world. Its target: teen recruits | February 14, 2024 / Rosa Schwartzburg / Guardian - Amid a recruitment struggle, branches are using huge hits like Fortnite as marketing tools. Some veterans see the practice as unethical – especially given the age of the gaming audience. n a small room tucked into a US navy facility outside Memphis, Tennessee, uniformed personnel sit hunched over monitors, their eyes focused on screens as they speak into headsets with clipped efficiency. Computer towers and glowing red keyboards crowd their desks. This is top-of-the-line gear, used for executing combat missions and coordinating strategy – but not with fleets stationed across the world. These sailors are playing video games. On the other end of their headsets and screens are young gamers they hope to inspire. #fortnite #militaryrecruitment #callofduty #armygamers #militarygamers #NNOMYpeace
‍ | | | | Chelsea Uniting Against the War Against Recruitment Efforts at Chelsea High School | September 12, 2024 / Fran Roznowski / Chelsea Uniting Against the War (CUAW) - Chelsea UniĂ©ndose en Contra de la Guerra’s annual anti-military recruitment campaign was launched at Chelsea High School this week. Members and supporters of CUAW distributed over 1300 English/Spanish fliers as students arrived to school on Monday, September 9, 2024. Â
Under the No Child Left Behind of 2002, public school administrators must send students’ personal information (name, address and phone number) upon request to recruiters from all branches of the armed forces. Students and their parents have the right to not have the young person’s information released to the military by signing the OPT-OUT form on the student’s personal school issued computer.
#counterrecruitment #CUAWÂ | See more photos of this action
‍ | | | | | | A Look Back at Counter-recruitment: Growing Movement to Ban the Military from School | March 2005 • Vol 5, No. 3 / Carole Seligman / SocialistViewpoint - As the devastation of Iraq continues, the antiwar movement is sinking roots in localities all around the United States from demonstrations and vigils, teach-ins, ballot measures, and town meetings (such as the recent series of town meetings all over the state of Vermont that voted to end Vermont National Guard Troops from being sent to Iraq.) Now, added to this broad antiwar movement, there is a mushrooming campaign to deny the U.S. military—all branches—the ability to recruit on high school and college campuses through direct recruitment programs and the paralilitary organization, Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC).
This campaign is taking place at a crucial juncture: The U.S. Army and the Marines have announced that they have failed to meet their current recruitment goals and there is discussion in the mainstream media about the meaning of this development. Recruitment of Black soldiers is reported to be down 41% since 2000. This reflects a strong anti-war consciousness among African-Americans.
‍ | | | | Do you want to help youth in Whatcom County to learn about service and training opportunities that don't rely on war? | Join our volunteers team by signing up to this upcoming training October 6th 1-3pm at our office on 1220 Bay St! Link in bio to RSVP.
Please join us for our Quarterly AMS Volunteer trainings! Our upcoming training will be held in October at the WPJC Office. ​This is a great opportunity to engage local youth and veterans in a conversations about our future, our rights and non-violence.
If you can't make it to the training session, but have availability to volunteer please email Aneesa Ahad at Aneesaxahad@gmail.com to get involved! Attending to a training before tabling is mandatory. Â
Whatcom Peace and Justice Center 1220 Bay St, Bellingham, WA 98225Â
‍ | | | | Connecting Young Adults to Experienced Career Professionals | Peaceful Options for Training & Careers (POTC) is a U.S.-based networking project that will match you with an advisor who can help you find viable alternatives to military service. These advisors have a passion for helping you figure out your next career step, whether a job, internship, apprenticeship, college or service organization. Please reach out to us if you are interested in being connected with an advisor, no matter where in the U.S. you are. Â
As WWII approached, Mennonites joined with the Quakers, the Church of the Brethren and others to ensure that conscientious objectors to war could do alternative service under civilian administration rather than fight in the war. Known as Civilian Public Service, nearly 12,000 young draftees chose this path, working in forestry, conservation, and mental health services rather than military service. Â
We Are the Peaceful Options for Training & Careers (POTC)Â
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| The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth | Office: Tuesday and Thursday 12pm to 6pm
 admin@nnomy.org | +1 619 798 8335 | +1-619-356-1424 | www.nnomy.org‍ Subscribe to Newsletter | Donate to NNOMY Â
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