fTÌTìTÌTl news
D on ’ t A sk , D on ’ t R ecruit
Grumbling over the Portland Public Schools 7 m ilitary recruiting ban prompts response
but no capitulation yet; the policy may become an issue in upcoming school board elections
Some also speculate the issue has been resus­
citated because a school board election is slated
for March 9. Abrams and other board members
who supported the recruiting ban are battling
for re-election.
“The real threat is that this is going to be
made into an election issue,” says Bonnie Tin­
ker, a member of the Sexual Minority Parents
Advisory Group, a gathering of sexual minority
parents who advise the district on ways to make
the schools safe and fair for sexual minority
youth.
“This is a very important election,” says Tin­
ker, adding that SMPAG representatives are
among those planning to ask board members to
continue supporting the ban during a Jan. 11
school board meeting.
PHOTO BY LINDA KLIEWER
hree years have gone by and Marc
Abrams has not been converted.
“It was wrong then and it’s
wrong now,” says Abrams, an attor­
ney who serves on the Portland
School District Board of Education and chairs
the state Democratic Party.
In late August 1995, Abrams, who was then
just seven weeks into his first term on the school
board, took on a potentially explosive issue:
removing military recruiters from school
grounds due to the federal government’s “don’t
ask, don’t tell” policy, which prohibits openly
gay men and lesbians from serving in the mili­
tary.
An estimated 150 people— mostly support­
ers of Abrams’ position— turned out for the
by Inga So ren sen
who are disproportionately disadvantaged and
in need of opportunities.”
Abrams counters that position, saying, “You
hear the argument that by removing the military
from the schools, we’re limiting important
career opportunities for young people, particu­
larly those who are at risk. Well, I say to them,
‘What about gay and lesbian young people? Are
they not at risk?’ ”
In a recent missive to Abrams, outgoing
openly gay state Rep. George Eighmey thanks
the school board member for his “championing
the cause of protecting the rights of all minori­
ties.”
In the letter Eighmey notes an important dis­
tinction: “The policy does not ban the military
from recruiting high school students, be they
minorities or otherwise, it merely prohibits the
military from doing so on school property.”
He says, “There are numerous other opportu­
nities for military recruiters to promote the jobs
available in the armed services. They may mail
information to high school students, advertise
on television and radio stations, locate recruit­
ment offices near schools or attend off campus
activities frequented by high school students.
Our students are not denied the opportunity to
interview for jobs in the military.... As long as
the political leaders of our nation enforce the
a
passion
human rights
"As long as the political leaders
o f our nation enforce the 'don't
ask, don't tell'policy, which
blatantly discriminates against
Anyone
to you
about
financial
can
openly gay and lesbian persons,
we must not allow m ilitary
Despite a districtwide ban, military recruiters recently visited Jefferson High School
Aug. 31, 1995, meeting at which the board
passed two nondiscrimination measures.
One resolution, adopted by a 6-1 vote, stipu­
lated any employer who discriminated on the
basis of ethnicity, gender, race, sexual orienta­
tion or other factors should he prohibited from
recruiting in public schools. T he second resolu­
tion, which passed by a 5-2 vote, specifically
proclaimed the military to be an employer that
discriminates, and barred it from schools.
“I’m exhausted and exhilarated,” Abrams
told Just Out the morning after the vote, which
made the district the second in the country to
bar military recruiters. (A Rochester, N.Y.,
school district did so in 1991.)
Since the Portland prohibition was imple­
mented, all has appeared peaceful. However,
bubbles of trouble have surfaced recently with
reports that military recruiters have been on two
North Portland high school campuses— Jeffer­
son and Roosevelt— during the past few weeks,
which is a clear violation of the boards policy.
“Things have been relatively quiet,” admits
Lew Frederick, a district spokesman. “There has
been little discord.... I’m not sure what’s
prompting this now.”
Some surmise the installation of new Super­
intendent Ben Canada has motivated recruiting
advocates to act. While it would take a board
action to reverse the policy, Frederick says
Canada has asked to review the policy, and,
according to some media reports, will urge the
board to do the same.
“It’s vital people show up,” she says. “It
makes the statement that people care about sex­
ual minority kids as much as they do other kids."
Frederick confirms that Jefferson’s principal,
Lela Roberts, was aware that recruiters were
recently on school grounds, but it is still unclear
whether Roosevelt’s principal, Bonnie Hobson,
had any idea.
Some opponents of the board policy, mean­
while, argue the recruiting ban limits students’
career opportunities.
The state’s largest daily newspaper is one of
those critics. After the vote three years ago, The
Oregonian blasted the school board.
W hen the issue re-emerged, the paper was
back on the attack, running a Dec. 24 editorial
that knocks the policy as “misguided.”
It also applauds Roberts and like-minded
folks, saying they should “have the blessing of
the entire district, administration and board.
Why? Because the no-recruiting policy hurts
students— particularly less fortunate students
who don’t have the luxury of helping some dis­
tant adults advance their own political agen­
das.”
T he editorial continues: “The military
recruiting ban denies these kids the opportunity
to learn about a range of career, college and
training opportunities available to them. These
benefits include jobs, college scholarships, free
medical and dental care, housing and job skills
for a post-military career. The sad fact is that
this ban particularly hurts minority students,
ta lk
recruitm ent on local governm ent
property."
security...
— outgoing state Rep. George Eighmey,
in a letter to Portland school board
member Marc Abrams
‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy, which blatantly dis­
criminates against openly gay and lesbian per­
sons, we must not allow military recruitment on
local government property.”
Eighmey then urges: “Let us continue our
pioneering ways by insisting our military treat all
of Oregon’s children with dignity and respect.
We cannot say to our gay and lesbian youth that
they are not acceptable to serve our nation sim­
ply because they are willing to he open and hon­
est about their sexual orientation.”
Abrams says he’s not out to punish anyone,
meaning those who have defied or ignored the
ban; he simply wants district personnel to
adhere to policy.
He adds he won’t shift his position unless
there is a change of circumstances, like the mil­
itary ending its discriminatory policy.
During the last legislative session, state law­
makers passed a bill to lift the recruiting ban, but
Gov. John Kitzhaber vetoed it, saying the deci­
sion should be left up to local school boards.
■ The S exual M inority P arents A dvisory
GROUP is encouraging the public to attend the Jan.
11 school board meeting, set for 6:30 p.m . at the
district offices at 501 N . Dixon m Portland. For
more information about SMPAG or the meeting,
call 228-3892.
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