The American Friends Service Committee and a public school official say they expect to see an increase this year in the number of requests for student contact information to be withheld from military recruiters.

That's because secondary-school students were given additional notice this year clarifying that they can indeed ask to "opt out" of having that information distributed to military recruiters on their own, without permission from their parents.

Today is the deadline for parents, guardians and students to make such a request.

Greg Knudsen, a Department of Education spokesman, said a parent, guardian or student can submit by today either a pre-printed DOE form or their own legible letter requesting that the information be withheld from recruiters.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires the state Department of Education to submit students' personal contact information to military recruiters who request it or risk losing federal dollars — unless parents or students choose to have that information withheld.

The American Friends Service Committee — which describes itself as a social justice and peace organization — has raised objection to the inclusion of the provision in the act. The issue is one of "informed consent," said Kyle Kajihiro, Hawai'i program director for the organization.

"The fact that they were able to slip this provision into the No Child Left Behind Act is really problematic," he said.

"We don't think the schools should be used as a recruiting ground for the military," Kajihiro said. "We feel every effort should be made to ensure that students and their families are able to take steps to protect their personal information."

Knudsen said the original deadline to submit an opt-out request in mid-September was extended because the DOE sent out a clarified form in October stating students could initiate an opt-out request.

The school system allows parents or guardians to request that student information be withheld from a variety of solicitors. In addition, students may ask on their own that their information be withheld from military recruiters.

The DOE could not immediately provide statistics on how many students submit military-recruiting opt-out requests annually.

Knudsen and Kajihiro said they expect the numbers to increase because of the law clarifying that students can opt out on their own.

"This whole effort to specifically and directly notify every secondary-school student is likely to greatly increase that amount," Knudsen said. "I think we probably have one of the more direct and comprehensive notification to all secondary students allowing them the option to initiate the opt-out request."

Kajihiro said American Friends is pleased with the clarified form and he predicted that many students would act on their own to initiate an opt-out request. "I would expect that."

Chuck Anthony, spokesman for the state Department of Defense, said that while he can't speak for national recruiting offices, Hawai'i National Guard recruiters "are not interested in talking to anybody other than those who are 18."

Besides mailers, he said, National Guard recruiters could also contact a student who is 18 "either by mail or telephone, or even ... an e-mail." But typically, Anthony said, telephone or e-mail contact is only done if there is a referral or a student has expressed an interest.

American Friends further wants the DOE to allow for opt-out requests to be maintained beyond one school year so that parents and students won't have to fill out a separate request each year, Kajihiro said.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.