Walker Peace With Justice Project – End High School Campus Military Recruiting

This effort has two different approaches to meeting its objective. One is the annual organization of a rally for high school students in conjunction with a walk out of classes. This part of the project is led by a couple of activists from Youth Against War and Racism. They meet weth student leaders to plan organizational efforts at varius high schools and act as support people for the students as they line up faculty and administration support for their efforts. For example this fall Mpls students with a parental note would not be penalized for missing classes to attend the rally.
 
The other line of action is dealing with school boards and getting parents to voice their objections to campus recruiting and to get the school boards to limit or eliminate the recruiting efforts. Since this is tied in with some federal funding there are alternative objectives that will keep the recruites in place but provide for alternative information to be available or other approaches. 
 
The answers to the questions will be separate for the two initiatives.
 
Walk Out Strategy:
 
How is a victory defined by your campaign?
 
Large turnout for the walkout. This will depend on getting school chapters up and running and get school administrations to accept the concept with penalties for the students.
 
Where is the campaign happening?
 
At area high schools. We could focus on the Minneapolis public schools.
 
 
What have been the highlights of your campaign so far?
 
A pretty good turnout this fall. Seveal schools have active organizations working.
 
What is it about the campaign that you (and others) have been excited and inspired about?
 
I see it as a good and safe way to introduce students to the concepts of activism
 
Why are you motivated to work on this?
 
I want kids to be involved in the political process and to think about what is going on in the world.
 
What efforts or projects are happening soon in the campaign?
 
Not much until the summer. Perhaps some informal recruiting in the schools for next year’s leaders.
 
What things are needed to be done?
 
Publicize the walk out, recruit students, find sympathetic faculty

Pressure the School Boards

How is a victory defined by your campaign?
 
Have changes in the campus recruiting situation
 
Where is the campaign happening?
 
At the school board meetings
 
What have been the highlights of your campaign so far?
 
Minneapolis has allowed parents to authorize that student info not be turned over to recruiters
 
What is it about the campaign that you (and others) have been excited and inspired about?
 
This is a federal program that if there is enough local resistance it might be scrapped
 
Why are you motivated to work on this?
 
Schools should be for educaton
 
What efforts or projects are happening soon in the campaign?
 
YAWR is planning the next steps and will hold a meeting of interested coalition partners in February maybe late January.
 
What things are needed to be done?

Attend the YAWR meeting and find out more.