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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The Anchorage School District has banned military recruiters from the district's campuses.
KTVA reported Monday (http://goo.gl/B9NJ6r) that the decision followed recent reports that allege recruiters from the Alaska Army National Guard made inappropriate advances toward high school students.
Last week, KTVA received documents stating that members of the Alaska Army National Guard's recruiting staff were offering students alcohol and inviting them to parties.
In the reports, a former Dimond High School student said an officer called her "pretty" and invited her to have lunch with him. Other witnesses in the report said a recruiter implied he had sexual relations with that same student.
"What was reported was absolutely unacceptable," said Superintendent Ed Graff. "We are immediately reviewing our practices and policies, including adult-student boundaries ... to make very clear what our expectations are."
Graff said student safety is the district's top priority.
Lt. Col. Lee Knowles, who has been with the Guard's Recruiting and Retention Battalion since June 2012, said the school hadn't contact them, and he finds it "regrettable that ASD has taken this stance" based on a report released by the media.
Knowles said he would like to meet with the school district about its decision.
"We have a vested interest in maintaining a good relationship with the ASD, the parents and the students," Knowles said.
The district is setting up meetings with branch recruiters about the leaked reports, Graff said.
"Until I can have those conversations and meet with them face to face, we will not be permitting military recruiters on our campuses to visit with students," Graff said.
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