Portland school board approves antiwar recruiting in schools

PORTLAND, Ore. – Antiwar groups got the green light Monday to go into Portland public schools and meet with students.

The Portland Public Schools Board unanimously approved the measure during an evening meeting.

Now, antiwar groups will have the same school access as military recruiters and will allow those groups to pitch their antimilitary message to students.

At high schools, students will get a packet of information from those "counter-recruiter" groups like War Resisters League.

Then, just as often as the military comes into schools twice a year, those groups would be allowed in as well.

Some parents say this would be a welcome change and military recruiters said they're not worried.

Jessica Applegate-Brown supports counter-recruiting because she said the district's message about the military has been one-sided, starting at the elementary age.

She says, starting with trips to the local armory, her kids were exposed to a pro-military point of view early on but what they don’t get to hear is a very important other side.
"We want transparency," she said. "We want children to be notified of other options besides the military."

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Thom Cowson said he hopes this doesn't turn into an "us versus them" issue, and he said he and other military recruiters won't mind the extra company, even if it is a counter-recruiting message.

"When it comes right down to it, we'll have the same access to the schools," Cowson said. "The same kids who are interested in the military will still be interested in the military, and I welcome them to give the other kids who aren’t interested, another set of options."

He said he doesn't think it will affect his recruiting efforts.

"A person who's made up their mind that they want to do this is still going to (join the military)."

And parents like Applegate-Brown say hearing from both sides will help students make the most informed decision possible.