From Draft NOtices, September - October 2000
November 7 election could provide an important lesson for students, parents and the general civilian community.
While most attention is focussed on the races for national and state offices that will be decided by voters this November, some of the most significant decisions will actually be made at a much more local level in school board elections — particularly in San Diego.
When it comes to factors determining the political and social climate of this country, the most basic factor of all is the way that young citizens are socialized into accepting or rejecting the status quo. And the most intense part of that socialization occurs in the school system, where young people learn values and lessons that will affect their attitudes and behavior far into the future.
The military knows this, which is exactly why they target our schools. The Pentagon is not just looking for a few qualified enlistees — it is pushing its way into K-12 schools on a massive scale in order to influence the political and social climate in this country. As a result, the prospects for progressive social change could be diminished for many years to come.