Governor LePage and First Lady ask Legislature to reverse rejection by Education Committee of military service exploration for Maine students

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage and First Lady Ann LePage is calling on the Maine Legislature to vote on two bills that will ensure students have opportunity to explore military service.

“Military service is our nation’s highest calling, and nothing should stand in the way of Maine’s students who wish to pursue that brave and patriotic path,” said the Governor and First Lady, who have made advocacy for Maine’s military members and their families a hallmark of their tenure in the Blaine House.

“Maine students should have the same opportunity to talk to recruiters from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast Guard as they do those from Colby, Bates and Bowdoin,” the LePages said. “We may have our political differences here in Augusta, but for the good of Maine’s young adultsundefinedand our nationundefinedlet’s put them aside and join together to support these bills.”

LD 1502, “An Act To Expand Student Access to Certain Career Information and Opportunities,” would require school boards to allow the administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, a test known as ASVAB, to those students who are interested in taking it. The test helps students understand their strengths and which jobs may be best for them, but some public high schools in Maine prohibit its administration on school grounds.

LD 1503, “An Act To Ensure Student Access to Postsecondary Military Options,” would require school districts to adopt policies allowing uniformed military recruiters the same access and opportunity to meet with students enjoyed by other postsecondary and career recruiters.

The LePages are asking Mainers to call their legislators and encourage them to support the two Governor’s bills. The bills come to the full Legislature with divided reports after being rejected last month on mostly party-line votes in the Democrat-controlled Education Committee.

A vote in the Maine House has not yet been scheduled, but could happen as early as today.

The Education Committee rejected LD 1502, the ASVAB bill, 7-6 after little discussion. Hiram Rep. Helen Rankin was the lone Democrat to join the committee’s minority Republicans in supporting the Governor’s bill.

The No Child Left Behind Act already requires schools receiving federal funds to allow access to military recruiters. But the act does not specify if they can wear military uniforms, an exclusion some Maine schools have established on their own without explanation. LD 1503 would allow military recruiters to wear uniforms in schools.

That bill was defeated 7-6 by the committee’s Democrats, although Rep. Matthea Daughtry of Brunswick did join her Republican colleagues to support the equal access measure.

“The ASVAB test has great value beyond helping students consider their future potential in life,” Governor LePage said. “It provides students and advisors a critical aptitude testing tool that helps students better understand themselves, regardless of the professions they choose. Maine schools should be encouraging our nation’s uniformed heroes coming into schools, not discriminating against them. Banning uniformed recruiters and blocking students from taking the ASVAB is shameful behavior.”

The two bills were prompted by the concerns military representatives brought to Governor LePage and the Department of Education. Because military representatives often abstain from testifying before legislative committees, Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen spoke on their behalf, expressing support from the Department and the LePage Administration.

“It is our position that students should have every opportunity to explore a career in the armed forces,” Commissioner Bowen said. “By prohibiting uniformed recruiters or the ASVAB test, we are sending students a message that military service is something to which they should not aspire. These bills do not require students to enlist. They simply allow students to explore all of their post-secondary options, whether that be college, career or service to their community and country.”