Today’s Good News: “Leave My Child Alone” Standing Between Military And Kids
Working Assets, Mainstreet Moms Organize or Bust (MMOB), and ACORN, among others, are working a strong campaign to keep kids safe from military recruiters, called “Leave My Child Alone”. Surge this! These folks are working overtime to make sure parents know they can “opt out” of the No Child Left Behind provision forcing schools to turn students’ names over to the military in order to get federal aid, and to change policy on all levels. Some of their accomplishments so far:
- Reached millions of families with information on how to “opt out” of high school military lists
- Enabled 40,000 students to actually “opt out” of their high school’s military recruitment lists
- Won support from the NEA, PTA, CTA, and WILL - a network of 400 women legislators
- Got “opt out” legislation introduced in 4 states, and successfully through Congress in California
- Changed school policy and practice in at least one hundred school districts
- Successfully encouraged participants to run for - and win - school board seats
By the way, the MMOB itself seems like a very exciting organization. They came out of the Dean for America groups. While they now have a mission statement that’s more nonprofit-speak, I like this early one they had: “Mainstreet Moms (The MMOB) is a grassroots organization dedicated to increased political participation by women, especially as they identify and self-organize as mothers.” They do great work and seem really tuned in to the reality of women’s busy lives, while they don’t let it stop them. Learn more here.
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