Portland Schools’ Ban on Military Recruiters
September 2001 / John Grueschow / Youth & Militarism Magazine - Since August 1995, Portland (OR) Public Schools District has maintained a controversial policy prohibiting military recruitment on school district property. Portland’s ban on military recruiting is based on the Armed Forces’ discrimination against lesbians and gays, as exemplified particularly in the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue" policy.
Last spring, two school board members initiated intense public debate by announcing their intention to overturn the six-year-old recruiting ban. Activists, students, and parents on both sides of the issue lobbied board members, gave many hours of public testimony, and staged public protests.
