Arms Out Of Education is a project to raise awareness about, and challenge, the involvement of arms companies in UK primary and secondary education.
Should companies that make a profit out of weapons and other military and surveillance equipment be operating in our schools?
Some of the world’s largest arms companies run or sponsor activities and resources for schools in the UK. For example, the STEM Education Roadshow is organised by BAE Systems, with the support of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. The roadshow has been running for 20 years and now visits around 500 schools across the UK each year.
BAE Systems is the UK’s largest arms company, and makes 95% of its profit from the arms industry. It is particularly controversial because its fighter jets have been used in the bombings of Yemen and Gaza.
As the following video asks, why are companies whose products are used in wars where many thousands of children have been killed or wounded, and their schools and communities devastated, allowed into our schools?
Robot dogs in UK schools: good dog or bad dog?
Investigate why robot dogs are visiting schools across the UK with the STEM Detective!
This year’s BAE Systems STEM Education Roadshow is running school workshops about artificial intelligence with a robot dog named Lexi. But, while pupils get to make music videos with Lexi, robot dogs have other functions on the battlefield.
Robot dogs have been developed for the military and, along with other AI, are being used with more frequency by armed forces across the world.
As well as providing a more balanced view of the main purpose of real-life robot dogs, this video raises questions about the ethics of arms companies involvement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) activities in schools.
Image: ForcesWatch
The arms industry often partners with the armed forces on education resources and activities for schools. The armed forces also have a presence in schools with the cadet forces and they make many thousands of visits to schools each year for career, curriculum and student development activities.
See below for more information and resources to help teachers and others respond to the involvement of the military and arms industry in schools.
Articles and resources
Do we want militarised schools? Cadet forces, ‘independent’ evaluations and defence agendas in education
With the government's pledge to create more cadet units in schools we look at the politics of cadet force expansion, the research that has supported it, and what is wrong with militarising education.
Teach Peace Secondary
The Peace Education Network'sTeach Peace Secondary offers over 50 cross-curricular lessons from a range of organisations including Pax Christi, Amnesty International, Values Based Education, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Facing History & Ourselves, Corrymeela, and War Child.
Lessons are freely available via TES.com and include:
- Amnesty International: How does the arms trade work?
- Scientists for Global Responsibility: A beginner's guide to nuclear weapons
- Pax Christi: Military spending – does it make us more secure?
- Conflict Resolution in Sheffield Schools Training (CRESST): Curious about conflict
Warrior Nation: International anti-militarism – Demilitarising Education
Responding to military engagement in schools
This booklet produced by Quakers in Britain in 2022 asks how can schools meet their responsibility for the best interests of children and young people when engaging with the armed forces and weapons industry?
It provides information, resources and ideas for countering military influence in schools.
Pioneering a dystopian future
Many of the world's largest arms companies are involved in providing education and careers activities for young visitors at the UK's largest airshows. The same companies that are supplying weapons and military jets to Saudi Arabia for their war in Yemen.
Model motion on military and defence industry influence in education
For discussion in union or party branches and councils etc. The motion calls for oversight and regulation of military activities in schools, including for careers and curriculum purposes, and for military-themed activities or perspectives to be balanced by activities focusing on peace and human rights. It also calls for activities run by arms companies in schools to cease.
Training school pupils for the military and surveillance?
ForcesWatch comment
With recent announcements about cadets in schools and Cyber Cadets, we critique government commissioned research and political thinking that could lead to a far wider introduction of cadets and the harnessing of young people into 'tackling security threats'.
Military involvement in education and youth activities in the UK
This briefing summarises key elements of military involvement in education and youth activities in the UK. It covers the defence industry as well as the armed forces and Ministry of Defence. It outlines the main concerns this raises and how these concerns have been voiced so far.
Arms companies and immorality in education
ForcesWatch comment
As the largest arms fair in the world takes place in London, we explore how arms companies have become part of the education system in the UK, despite the concerns for human rights and corruption that surround the defence and security industry.
Science for Society
Science4Society is a collection of science education activities, which focus on the contribution that science, design and technology can make to peace, social justice and environmental sustainability.
The project was set up to provide an alternative to activities funded by the arms and fossil fuel industries and is co-ordinated by Scientists for Global Responsibility.
See all articles and resources on the military and arms companies in schools
Image: ForcesWatch
Images: ForcesWatch