Military recruiting in high schools hasn't been much of an issue in Florida, a conservative-leaning state with among the highest concentration of veterans in the country.

Only a smattering of Sunshine State parents and peace activists have complained about overzealous recruiters. And few have questioned whether school districts are properly notifying students about their right to keep personal information out of military hands.

"The South and Florida in general tends to be more promilitary," said Ron Horvath, spokesman for the Army's Tampa Recruiting Battalion. "That may be part of what's going on."

High schools in the Tampa Bay region have welcomed recruiters, who, under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, must be given the same access to students as colleges and businesses.

Many districts view the military strictly as potential employers. And some administrators say antiwar activists would not be given the same green light.

"We wouldn't let someone come in and say, "You shouldn't go to community college because it's bad,' " said Pasco assistant superintendent Bob Dorn. "We wouldn't let someone come in and say, "You shouldn't go into the military because it's bad.' "

In some parts of the country, peace groups have challenged that view, but not so much in Florida. Among the exceptions: In Palm Beach County, members of a draft counseling group have been pushing to speak with students at Lake Worth High School, which boasts one of the largest JROTC programs in the country.

"There's a lot of glitzy publicity . . . making war and war-making glamorous," said Javier Del Sol, a community organizer for the group in Lake Worth. "We want to show them that war is not cool."

Del Sol said that his group and the school's principal worked out arrangements earlier this year for equal access to students and that visits are planned for this fall. The principal did not return a call for comment.

On a related front, school officials across the country are wrestling with another No Child provision that allows military recruiters access to student records, including phone numbers and addresses. The law says schools must tell students and parents that they can block release of that information, but critics say schools are doing a poor job of that.

"I have a high school student and I haven't heard a thing," said Linda Hubner, a St. Petersburg resident who took part in a small antiwar demonstration outside Gibbs High School last spring.

The opt-out notice differs district by district. In Pinellas, Hillsborough and Citrus counties, the information is included in student codes of conduct. In Pasco, school officials hand out brochures about students records, but the brochures do not mention that military recruiters are among those accessing them.

In Pinellas, Pasco and Citrus, parents must notify school officials in writing if they want student information withheld. In Hillsborough, they must fill out and return a form.

Hernando officials who know about that district's policies could not be reached.

In Pinellas, the opt-out provision will become more visible this fall, thanks to recent prodding from parents. Superintendent Clayton Wilcox has received about 20 letters and e-mails raising concerns, including one from the county Council of PTAs, said district spokesman Sterling Ivey.

Details are still being finalized, but the district plans to publicize the provision better and offer opt-out forms.

Times researchers Cathy Wos and Caryn Baird contributed to this report. Ron Matus can be reached at matus@... or 727 893-8873.

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