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No Child Left Unrecruited

Pentagon uses NCLB, other sneaky means to get info on teens in high school

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 1, 2009 3:32 PM CDT

(Newser) – The military is using a host of behind-the-scenes methods—including the No Child Left Behind Act—to gather information on high school students for recruitment, writes David Goodman in Mother Jones. A little-known provision in NCLB, for instance, requires schools that get funding to supply recruiters with info on all juniors and seniors. It "effectively transformed President George W. Bush's signature education bill into the most aggressive military recruitment tool since the draft."

And though students can opt out—with some difficulty—even more obscure data-mining operations are afoot to help the Pentagon amass “arguably the largest repository of 16- to 25-year-old youth data in the country.” It somewhat covertly maintains a website of test-taking tips that sends information to recruiters and administers an aptitude test in high schools toward the same end. To pull the info together—and get advice on cold-calling teens—the Pentagon employs the same research and marketing firm as Starbucks.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

The image of Uncle Sam is seen behind shattered glass at the military recruitment center in New York's Times Square after a bomb blast. (AP Photo)

An Army recruit. (AP Photo)

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To get to lunch in my high school, you had to pass recruiters. It was overwhelming. I thought the recruiters had too much information about me. They called me, but I never gave them my phone number. - John Travers, college junior

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 16 comments

metalworldorder

Oct 4, 2009 1:38 AM CDT

Call me crazy, but I really don't consider recruiters calling "harassment." I remember getting the calls all the time in high school, and those recruiters were the most polite people I've ever met. Granted, they'd hang up on me as soon as I lied and said I was on medication for OCD and Schizophrenia, but it was fun talking to them. Now am I saying their data-mining techniques are without suspicion? No, not at all. But to freak out if recruiters call seems somewhat reactionary to me. Is it that hard to say no to someone?

cognitivefilter

Sep 3, 2009 12:43 PM CDT

it is wild how much information you put on to a standardized test. i'm sure just your name and high school would be fine..

OWLWOMANXXXX

Sep 2, 2009 12:24 PM CDT

Military recruiters should not be allowed to approach anyone under eighteen without the parents present.....that would stop this atrocity in the high schools

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Pentagon • Army recruiting • US military • recruitment • Department of Defense • data mining • high school students • Army Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

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No Child Left Unrecruited