WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. April 5, 2006: Sharp dressed Marines in uniforms button hole them in the WPHS parking lots surrounding the White Plains High School. According to two WPHS Guidance Counselors speaking Monday evening at The Board of Education, they meet young Hispanic men and women students and promise them anything to sign up for the military, and recently the pressure has increased. White Plains High School wants the zealous, not-by-the-books military recruiting on campus by the local Marine Recruitment Center to stop.
The aggressive military recruiting techniques used by the Marines, (reminiscent of fraternity rush), were detailed by WPHS Guidance Counselors Harvey Mason and Magda Martas at Monday evening’s Board of Education meeting. Photo,WPCNR News
Mason told of a young woman who was talked into joining the military and just before the date when she was to sign the recruitment papers, she received a four year scholarship to a college. He also advised of overzealous promises on the part of recruiters, citing the example of Emanuel Paulus a 2005 WPHS graduate last year who did sign up, who was promised he would not be sent to a combat zone. Mr. Paulus was sent to Afghanistan April 1.
The Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors is sending a letter to local military recruiters reminding them of the rules for engagement with White Plains High students, which all colleges and outside organizations desiring to meet personally with White Plains students have to observe for security reasons.
Ms. Martas read the following statement detailing typical Marine recruiting techniques:
On March 7, 2006, at approximately 3:15 as I was leaving White Plains High School campus I noticed an SUV with government license plates in the parking lot. There were two marines, one outside the vehicle and the other in the driver’s seat. The Marine in the driver’s seat was speaking with 5 students. I parked my car behind the SUV and stepped up to the group of students. I could see that they all had business cards in their hands.
I went by the driver’s door I could see the same cards in the Marine’s hands. I asked for one. He refused. I asked a second time and asked why he was in the school’s parking lot. Still refusing to give me a card, he pointed to the other marine and said he was visiting a teacher. I asked for the card a third time and stated that it was obvious by the cards in the students’ hands and his; in addition to being in uniform and in a government vehicle that he was recruiting.
He denied it and still did not give me a card. At that point I told him not to give me a card because any one of the students could give me one and that I would give it to my director. He proceeded to tell me he knew my director (Henry Cafaro, Director of Guidance, WPHS). To this I said that he should also know the protocol for accessing our students. Reluctantly, he gave me his card.
I returned to the school and found Mr. Cafaro and told him what was going on in the parking lot. He read the name on the card and said this person had been banned from the school grounds.
To Mr. Cafaro’s credit, he called the recruitment center that evening and brought this matter up to their attention and followed it up with a letter to the recruitment station. I relayed my experience to Mr. Harvey Mason and the next morning, Mr. Mason and I met with Mr. Toper. Of the matters discussed, Mr. Mason and I expressed the following concerns:
The aggressive pursuit of our children to join the military.
The need for a clear message from the district regarding recruitment to the recruiting center.
A meeting was also held (March 9th) with the Staff Sergeant, T.S. Edgett, Mr. Toper (Principal of White Plains High School), Mr. Cafaro, Mr. Mason and myself. At this meeting, we all relayed to Staff Sergeant Edgett our concerns and Mr. Toper specifically expressed, addressed the need to follow the protocol.
Prior to my experience with this particular individual (Sergeant C. R. Iglesias of the Marine Corps, as identified by the WPHS Guidance Department to WPCNR today), I had heard of other military personnel coming on to school grounds as early as 7:00 A.M. to pursue students. I had also been told about methods used to persuade students to join.
Among these (methods) was to tell the students that they could get residency/citizenry documents for their families and that they would not be sent to fight.
The latter could not be further from the truth. Emanuel Paulus, Class of 2005 was told this when he was recruited by the army. This past Saturday, April 1, 2006, he was shipped to Afghanistan. He has two brothers at White Plains High School who needless to say are frightened for their brother.
I am also concerned that specific recruitment efforts are being focused on Latino students. Many of our Latino families come from countries where the military’s power goes unchecked and their fear or feeling of intimidation of the military is very real.
The United States Military pursuing these children creates an unfair situation that can too easily be taken advantage of by U.S. Military personnel. This is where the separate mailing of the “Opt Out Letter” (sent home to parents in a packet prior to the start of school, and containing a sign-off provision that enables parents to decline the availability of students to mailings and contact by outside organizations), in Spanish in addition to English is vital.
I have come to you the Board of Education of the White Plains School District asking you to consider my request. As a guidance counselor my paramount concern is the safety of our children and today more than ever I feel that this safety is threatened. Our children’s lives depend on how well we protect them from harm.”
Frequent Offender
Henry Cafaro, speaking to WPCNR Wednesay said the individual, Sergeant C. R. Iglesias of the U.S. Marine Corps had been repeatedly warned about previous violations of WPHS protocols, and had been banned from recruiting at the high school. He said Sergeant Iglesias’ most recent violation occurred Monday April 3, when he had arrived at WPHS saying he had an appointment with a teacher, and it turned out Sergeant Iglesias did not.
Cafaro said the army recruiters have observed the protocol and have been very cooperative, visiting when they are scheduled in the WPHS College and Career Center.
Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors told the Board of Education and Mr. Mason and Ms. Martas he would forward a letter to the Marine Recruitment Center restating the protocol.
For the record, Military Recruiters are:
- Military Recruiters must make appointments for visits and leave their phone numbers and their supervisor’s phone number.
- Recruiters will be limited to one visit per semester.
- Recruiters will be give a one period time limit per visit.
- Visits will be limited to the College and Career Center.
- No recruiting will be permitted on school grounds or hallways.
- Recruiters cannot administer tests during their visits.
- A guidance counselor or school representative will be present during all visits.
- Release of information request must be filed at least 24 hours in advance.
- Recruiters must make appointments with individual subject coordinators for special group meetings or demonstrations.
