2024 Back-to-School Activist Kit

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NNOMY stands for National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth.

It is a network of organizations and individuals who advocate for counter-recruitment and anti-militarism efforts, particularly in schools and communities. NNOMY works to promote peace, justice, and sustainability, and to challenge the militarization of young people and the perpetuation of violence and war. The network provides resources, support, and networking opportunities for those working against militarism and for a more peaceful and just world.

We are a heavily militarized society. The fiscal year 2024 budget for the Department of Defense is $842 billion, which is an increase of $26 billion over FY 2023 levels and $100 billion more than FY2022. Additionally, there is a plan to raise U.S. defense spending from 3% to 5% of gross domestic product in the years ahead. We spend more on defense than the next 9 countries combined.

The US has around 750 military bases around the globe in at least 80 countries. The actual number may even be higher as not all data is published by the Pentagon.

To support this ongoing effort our government needs recruits.

We see evidence of this all around us: television ads, social media, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs, video games. Many of these encounters result in the military obtaining the contact information of young men and women. We decided to focus this year’s Back to School Kit on privacy issues; protecting our young men and women.

WHAT IS IN THIS KIT?

This year the Back-to-school Kit for Counter-recruitment and School Demilitarization Organizing is focused on student privacy. We feature five areas in which the military has access to student contact information and present ways in which students, parents and community members can push back and, in the process, help to de-militarize our public schools.

HOW THE KIT IS ORGANIZED

There are five sections to the kit:

1. ASVAB testing

2. Opt-out

3. JROTC permission

4. Selective Service (the “draft”)

5. JAMRS

We have included sample opt-out forms where applicable.

 

HOW TO USE THE KIT

The sections should be self-explanatory. All will require a bit of research to find out what your local school/school district is or is not doing to insure student privacy.

The Goal is to get students and parents that wish their private information for military recruiting purposed by the US Military stay private. Included in the 2024 Activist Back-to-School Kit are OPT-OUT Forms to tell your school district to withhold student information from the Military for recruiting purposes and to respect your right to not consent that students be placed involuntarily into military corps programs and classes.

As a minor in high school, you have a right to decide if you are subjected to mandatory military indoctrination and training, and as a parent, you have a right to consenting to your child's participation in programs that you may ideologically be opposed to!

 

Find Out More:

 

Articles:

 

Resources:

 

Support

  • Please contact NNOMY with any questions. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Please consider supporting The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth
and our work to demilitarize our schools and youth by sending a check to our fiscal sponsor "in our name" at the
Alliance for Global Justice.
Donate Here

 

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 Revised: 09/14/2024 GDG