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Mattera to Promote Military Opt-Out for City High School Students
Brooklyn, NY -- August 31, 2005 -- Gloria Mattera, Green Party candidate for Brooklyn Borough President, said Saturday she would inform parents and high school students in Brooklyn that they can request to have their personal information withheld from military recruiters. Because of a provision in the "No Child Left Behind" Act, schools are required to release student information to the military to receive federal funds. "When I am elected, I will use Brooklyn Borough President resources to ensure that every parent and student in Brooklyn knows about their right to keep personal information away from military recruiters," said Mattera. "Our city high schools must not be turned into military recruiting stations." Mattera spoke at a fundraiser Saturday night at The Spoken Words Café in Brooklyn. The event was one of many to raise money to qualify for matching funds through New York City's Campaign Finance Program. Rebecca Rotzler, Deputy Mayor of New Paltz and Green Party member, also spoke at the fundraiser, about her recent trip to "Camp Casey" in Crawford, Texas and meeting with Cindy Sheehan whose son Casey was killed while serving in Iraq. Rotzler, the mother of a teenage son, is co-chair of the national Green Party Peace Action Committee. "We must do all we can to prevent more tragic loss such as Cindy Sheehan has endured as a result of having her child deceived by military recruiters," said Rotzler. "Our young people, especially from poor families, are being made to believe that they will be given many opportunities and NOT combat when joining the military. Unfortunately, what too many are receiving is an early death." Mattera ran for city council in 2003 as the "Green - No to War" candidate. She was arrested in an act of civil disobedience at the Flatbush army recruiting center in March on the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and continues to emphasize how the illegal and costly invasion and occupation of Iraq rob cities of resources needed to provide public services that ensure a decent quality of life.
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