education
Do You Know The Agenda Behind Your School’s STEM Provision?
The military and arms industries are putting large sums of money into our education system and into STEM educational material for schools. Science4Society Week is a chance to focus on learning from less destructive employers.
Armed forces visits to Scottish schools – a ‘big issue’
Our petition lodged at Holyrood along with Quakers in Scotland on military visits to schools has taken a significant step forward.
The militarisation of schools
23/01/2017The Independent
The Independent
The UK is one of few countries that allow minors to enlist. Despite calls to cease the recruitment of under-18s the Army is digging in to hold its ground.
Petition FAQs
The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to ensure that:
- Guidance is provided on how visits to schools by the armed forces should be conducted so that information presented to children takes account of the unique nature of armed forces careers, ensures political balance, and offers a realistic representation of the role of the armed forces and what a career in the armed forces involves.
- Information is collected to enable public monitoring of the number and location of visits, the purpose and content of visits, and comparison with the number of visits by other employers.
- Parents/guardians are consulted as to whether they are happy for their child to take part in armed forces activities at school.
Parliament considers military visits to schools petition
23/11/2016ForcesWatch press release
ForcesWatch press release
MSPs will consider what further action to take on a petition from ForcesWatch and Quakers in Scotland calling for increased transparency and scrutiny of armed forces visits to schools this Thursday (24 November).
More media coverage of our petition to the Scottish Parliament
22/11/2016various
various
Coverage highlights the Scottish Children's Commissioner concerns about the age of recruitment and armed forces visits to schools, and the motion in the Scottish Parliament about the vulnerabilities of young recruits, as discussed in the recent Medact report.
Tory boost for cadets in schools needs fighting
This article was first published in the Morning Star.
The Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, recently announced that 25 out of 150 proposed new school cadet units would soon be opening. Despite the presentation of this development as new policy, the Cadet Expansion Programme promoting cadet forces in state schools, was first announced in 2012. While the Government heralds the cadets as a silver bullet in terms of improving pupil attainment and development, the sight of ranks of pupils as young as 12 in military gear and handling weapons will ring alarm bells for many. That this is happening within education raises additional concerns.
Scottish Parliament asks for more information on military visits to schools after hearing from ForcesWatch
Back in March we asked Holyrood to ensure ‘guidance is provided to schools', ‘information is collected to provide public monitoring’ and ‘parents/guardians are consulted’ when it comes to visits by the military. Last week we gave evidence to the Public Petitions Committee.
Media coverage of our petition to the Scottish Parliament
19/09/2016various
various
On Thursday 15 September, ForcesWatch and Quakers in Scotland went to the Scottish Parliament to give evidence to the Public Petitions Committee about armed forces visits to schools.
Who goes there? Campaigners fight to keep military away from UK schools
31/08/2016The Guardian
The Guardian
Britain is the only EU country to enlist 16-year-olds into the armed services and, say objectors, it starts with access to the classroom.