Department of Education and the Selective Service compare notes on draft eligible males

NCLB carries a provision buried within it of a requirement that high schools must provide the military with names and addresses of all high school juniors and seniors.

The putative purpose: so that military recruiters can reach all those eligible for military recruitment.

Many have suspected an ulterior motive, always denied by military spokespersons.

Here is first I have heard of an arrangement between the Department of Education and the Selective Service to compare their databases to ensure they have all eligible men between 18 to 25 registered.

The Selective Service System (SSS) and the U.S. Department of Education now are gearing up to compare their computer records, to make sure all men between the ages of 18 and 25 who are required to register for a military draft have done so.

The SSS and the education department will begin comparing their lists on Jan. 1, 2005, according to a memo authored by Jack Martin, acting Selective Service director.

However, officials say the agreement to share information has been periodic and required recent renewal since the last agreement period had expired.

Still this doesn't make me feel any better because I have not heard of this type of data sharing before with the Selective Service.

While I can't say definitively that this datasharing arrangement is directly connected to the information provision to the military in NCLB, I can't imagine that the military would collect information twice about highschoolers.

Sidenote: Now does this mean that if your child is in private school, then the military won't necessarily get your personal information? Then I'm sure here is one more reason to homeschool your kid or put your kid in private school. Jeez. Talk about discouraging putting your kids into public schools.