Staff Reports
The human brain is an incredibly complex and fascinating organ. It is responsible for controlling our thoughts, emotions, and decision-making processes. Recent scientific research has revealed that the brain does not reach full maturity until the age of 25. This has caused many to question the age at which we set adulthood, as it is currently set at 18.
I actually absolutely agree with this.
Recruiters should be banned from public schools. https://t.co/ErOVCBsLEP
— Hannah Cox (@HannahDCox) June 4, 2023
The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain that controls our rationale and risk assessment abilities. It is not fully developed until 25, meaning that 18-year-olds and even 21-year-olds may make very different decisions than they would a few years down the road. This is why crime rates steadily decline past this age. Despite this knowledge, we still allow young people to make life and death decisions like joining the military.
Military enlistments have been steadily declining in recent years, causing recruiters to rev up their efforts. The US military has launched expensive advertising campaigns targeting large sporting events, such as the NCAA tournament, in order to generate patriotic sentiments and drive recruitment. The George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires schools to release the private information of students to recruiters unless families opt out in writing. This means graduating seniors, especially in poorer schools, are bombarded with military recruitment tactics that can range from personnel showing up in the school, to calls on personal cell phones, to promises of world travel, citizenship, college tuition, and prestige.
TikToker Itzel Hernandez recently went viral with a video where she claimed her recruiter had lied to her during the process. The comments on the video include testimony from many others claiming they or their loved ones felt similarly duped by their recruiter. This highlights the need for more protection of American kids from such subterfuge.
Even when veterans survive, many are forced to live with the mental scars and horrors of war for the rest of their days. We are still only beginning to learn about the full impact of such experiences on the body and the brain, but we know enough to know that it is something to be avoided.
It is time that we take steps to protect our children from dying or suffering in senseless wars. Blocking predatory military recruiters from recruiting in public schools would be an excellent step in that direction. We must also ensure that young people are provided with the education they need to make a good decision on this front.
The human brain is an incredible organ that controls our thoughts, emotions, and decision-making processes. Recent scientific research has revealed that the brain does not reach full maturity until the age of 25, seven years past the current age of enlistment for the US military. This has caused many to question the age at which we set adulthood and has highlighted the need for more protection of American kids from predatory military recruiters.
Military enlistments have been steadily declining in recent years due to a changing cultural climate towards our wars and an increase in recruitment efforts by the US military. Schools are required to release the private information of students to recruiters unless families opt out in writing, leaving graduating seniors particularly vulnerable to military recruitment tactics. TikToker Itzel Hernandez recently went viral with a video where she claimed her recruiter had lied to her during the process, sparking an important conversation about protecting young people from such subterfuge.
Even when veterans survive, many are forced to live with the mental scars and horrors of war for the rest of their days. We must take pains to protect our children from dying or suffering in senseless wars by blocking predatory military recruiters from recruiting in public schools and providing young people with the education they need to make a good decision on this front.
The human brain is an incredibly complex and fascinating organ that controls our thoughts, emotions, and decision-making processes. Recent scientific research has revealed that it does not reach full maturity until the age of 25, seven years
Source: Based Politics
