FL Schools To Admit America-Hating Veterans Group - Veterans For Peace

Sweetness & Light ^ | July 18, 2006 | N/A

[Sam Hill]

From baynews9.com:

Hearing both sides

Sunday, July 16, 2006

For the past year, the former president of Tampa Bay Veterans for Peace, Dwight Lawton, has been trying to spread a message to Pinellas County high school students.

"For students, it is that they have equal access to information so that they can make decision based on understanding the pros and cons of going in the service," Lawton said.

Lawton, 75, was drafted into the Navy and fought in the Korean War. He says although he had no choice in serving in the military, kids today do. He's pushing for the Pinellas County school board to give his group the same opportunities as military recruiters to get on high school campuses to talk to students about their futures.

"We're really concerned about those students who have not done well in school," Lawton said. "[Those who] have no choices, who do not have finances or grade point average to get in college. They seem to be the ones that are most susceptible."

But school board member Jane Gallucci says schools are not a place for politics and they can't let in every organization trying to spread a message on campus.

"The open-access laws say that you have to have a job, a career,
Pinellas County school board member Jane Gallucci says groups that speak to students must bring a positive message.
something that you are talking to our students about to be able to access the students," Gallucci said.

But the school board has agreed to consider allowing the Veterans for Peace group on campus.

To come on campus, however, Veterans for Peace will have to change their message. Instead of focusing on anti-war issues, they'll have to offer positive alternatives to military careers.

Gallucci says the school board wants to create a fair and open environment for students and she thinks having Veterans for Peace on campus offering information about career choices may help.

"Children cannot be expected to make a decision about going into the military with only one side of the argument," Gallucci said.

From Florida's St. Petersburg Times:

VFP Florida Chapter Head, Dwight Lawton.

Schools may allow Veterans for Peace

The antiwar group wants to be allowed to counter military recruiters on campuses with information about alternate careers.

By DONNA WINCHESTER, Times Staff Writer
July 14, 2006

After an 18-month ban, antiwar protesters may soon be allowed on Pinellas County high school campuses.

This time with a focused message: alternatives to military careers.

The Pinellas School Board on Thursday gave tentative support to allowing a local 50-member Veterans for Peace chapter on campus, agreeing it should have equal access to students who hear presentations from military recruiters.

Board members asked superintendent Clayton Wilcox to draft a policy that would provide access for the veterans after reviewing a letter from the group saying it intends to present "positive, factual information about vital career options that are wholesome and oriented toward serving society, both at home and abroad"

"If the military recruiters are setting up a table, I don't know why the Veterans for Peace can't set up a table as well," board member Janet Clark said.

Military representatives have been visiting high school campuses to encourage students to consider military careers for years. Since 2002, schools have been required to provide students' names, telephone numbers and addresses to military recruiters who ask for them under the federal No Child Left Behind law.

If a district fails to provide "directory" information to military recruiters, it can lose federal money. Some Veterans for Peace members think that's why the Pinellas and Hillsborough school districts have been reluctant to allow the group on campuses.

But School Board attorney Jim Robinson said his concern from the outset has been that the veterans did not appear to be presenting career alternatives, but rather trying to refute military recruiters' statements.

"That was a key point for me," Robinson said. "The issue is careers."

Veterans for Peace president Dwight Lawton, 72, said the group would like to work with school guidance counselors to present information about careers with organizations such as the Peace Corps.

He agreed that any printed material that is handed out to students would be subject to district approval.

As recently as April, school officials voiced concern that the group's true purpose was to counter the military recruiters.

St. Louis-based Veterans for Peace is a national organization of about 5,000 veterans of all eras, from World War II to Iraq. Its purpose is to raise awareness about the consequences of war and to encourage peaceful alternatives.

Board members will review a draft version of a policy that will allow the group to present its message at its Aug. 22 workshop.

Neither article mentions that Mr. Lawton is an ex-con who has been arrested several times for his efforts to disrupt the US military.

A casual Google of him reveals that Lawton is heavily involved in many other America-hating activities. Besides being the head of the Florida Veterans For Peace he is a Green Party candidate, an ACLU member and a member of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.

Lawton is also an vocal advocate for the convicted terrorist enabler, "Professor" Sami Al-Arian:

ACLU member Dwight Lawton has been trying to get his local Pinellas County ACLU chapter, headed by Paul Pohlman and Ray Arsenault to come forward in support of Al-Arian for over two months. Lawton is an anti-war activist who has spent time in prison for civil disobedience protests against the U.S. mercenary training camp in Georgia, called the School of the Americas (aka School of Assassins). Failing to win support from his local chapter, he has written to Howard Simon, the Florida ACLU Executive Director and to the ACLU National Office, with no response. He is presently attempting to contact the Center for Constitutional Rights in Washington, D.C. Dr. Al-Arian's son, Abdullah, has also sent requests to the ACLU and Amnesty International with no response.

You would think that any or all of this would be enough to disqualify Mr. Lawton from having access to the impressionable minds of school children.

But let's not forget the VFP's notorious record of viciously anti-American agit-prop activities. And then there is the little matter of the VFP's Katrina fraud.

If these people should have access to preach to our school children, why doesn't Al Qaeda? (Not that there is any real difference when it comes to their adamant hatred for this country.)

If anyone is interested in sharing their views on this matter with the Pinellas School board, Mr. Lawton has kindly provided some contact information:

Please contact the following School Board members: Janet Clark, Mary Russell, Mary Brown (Vice Chairperson), Linda Lerner, Carol Cook (Chairperson), Nancy Bostock, and Jane Gallucci.

Office: (727) 588-6300 or E-mail: Board@pcsb.org

I'm sure they'd appreciate "hearing both sides."

[Sam Hill]

Related Articles:

• Katrina Marchers Heckled, VFP Cruise To Alaska
• A Veteran For A Piece
• Cindy's Marine Is A Liar
• Camp Casey III Admits Hasn’t Spent Any Money On Katrina
• Cindy's Katrina Relief: $17K For Media Equip, $0 For Katrina Victims
• Camp Casey III Fires Lawyers, Lawyers Say $100K May Be Missing
• Lefties Question Camp Casey III Katrina Efforts
• Camp Casey III Found!
• The VFP Vamoose
• VFP Net $100+K A Day From Katrina Relief
• Camp Casey III Saves 14 Unwanted Babies
• Is The VFP Lifting Red Cross Supplies?

[Sam Hill]

A VFP ping.

[wideawake]

Hmmm . . . do high school students tend to take the unsolicited advice of self-important, doddering strangers - or do they tend to do the exact opposite?

[Sam Hill]

Whew. Then it's okay for these vicious America-haters to proselytize in the schools.

I was worried. Thanks.

[Buffettfan]

Let's see now. If this turd gets the same access to the kids as the military does then I think I'll sart up my own group and demand equal access to the students also. My group will be called "Veterans for Ass Kickings". We will demand equal access.

Semper Fi'
Jarhead

[GatorGirl]

Great, perhaps they will allow Scientologists in to offer the kids a career as a Scientology slave. And the Hare Krishnas and skinheads. And how about Islamic terrorists, after all many of them have a great career blowing themselves up!

Companies and the military who actually have a career to discuss should be allowed, groups which simply want to present an "opposing viewpoint" have no business at a career fair!

The Pinellas County School board is a bunch of idiots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[theDentist]

"We're really concerned about those students who have not done well in school," Lawton said.

Right. A career in the Military is a worse option than a career at MacDonalds, or washing cars, or WalMart, or hijacking cars, or robbery, or dealing drugs... /sarc

[Joe 6-pack]

I would venture a guess that at least 25% of this group never served and at least a similar percentage were discharged under dubious circumstances.

I'd bet a good 'vetting' of backgrounds would seriously discredit this group.

[wideawake]

Then it's okay for these vicious America-haters to proselytize in the schools.

That's not what I said, moron.

[PzLdr]

Wonder how hard he'd push for pro - military speakers, or recruiters, to get access to places that deny them an opportunity to speak to students.

[aligncare]

What's with these loony tunes...Going into the military was the greatest experience of my life. (Even with a tour of duty in Vietnam!)...Not to mention, that should America need defending (like now) we'll be prepared with plenty of superior warriors.

[Frank_2001]

Dubious circumstances, indeed...looking at that jerk's picture, I get the impression he is not bothered by constipation, if you catch my drift...

[longtermmemmory]

Seems like these are the military vets who wanted to parlay their military careers into politics but could not.

[Sam Hill]

Here is an updated school board contact info list, again kindly provided by Mr. Lawton:

If you wish to be involved we ask you to call or e-mail the School Board at board@plsb.org

Or call individual board members:

Nancy Bostock 550-1232
Mary Brown 867-1232
Janet Clark 638-3099
Carol Cook 537-4253
Jane Gallucci 785-1813
Linda Lerner 393-2970
Mary Russell 549-6415

[Sam Hill]

"Seems like these are the military vets who wanted to parlay their military careers into politics but could not."

I don't know. Anyway many of them aren't even vets. They are frauds. And most of all they hate this country.

Many of those that are vets are on the government teat with some claimed disability (which never seems to keep them from demonstrating or any other physical activity).

Google them and see what they do. They are despicable.

[Sam Hill]

Click on the link in the first reply: "Cindy's Marine is a liar."

One of the their top guys, Ward Reilly, claimed to be a Vietnam combat vet. He was exposed, too;

http://tinyurl.com/z84v8

There are countless stories like this.

You might recall Jesse McBride, who was in the parallel Iran Veterans For Peace.

[Sam Hill]

"Wonder how hard he'd push for pro - military speakers, or recruiters, to get access to places that deny them an opportunity to speak to students."

These are the people behind Cindy Sheehan. (That's her in front of the bus that took her down to Crawford last year.)

[weegee]

To come on campus, however, Veterans for Peace will have to change their message. Instead of focusing on anti-war issues, they'll have to offer positive alternatives to military careers.

Yes, you could become a paid member of rent-a-mob, protesting in the streets and teaching arts and crafts to children for "street theater". < /sarc >

[trisham]

There's no fool like an old fool.

[D1X1E]

Schools are letting in these "anti military, anti America wackos to influence the kids in a negative manner. At the same time more and more cutting back on ROTC programs which are positive for them, even those that dont choose the military later as a career. The discipline, structure and leadership skills stressed in those programs cannot hurt and certainly do help the students. Its a wonder we still have a country and people willing to join the military and insure we keep it.