Military influence in schools challenged
Oskar Castro brings the issue to the fore in speaking tour of Britain
A US Quaker activist has used a speaking tour of Britain to back a new campaign challenging military influence in British schools. Oskar Castro, who previously worked for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), spoke at events in London, Edinburgh and Coventry to launch the ‘Military Out of Schools’ campaign.
He was joined by British Quaker researcher David Gee, former SAS soldier Ben Griffin and members of School Students Against the War. The campaign is run by Forces Watch, an NGO working on ethical issues around the armed forces.
The activists expressed concern about the number of military visits to schools in the UK, with Oskar Castro comparing the British and US situations. The UK’s Ministry of Defence insists that school involvement is not about recruitment, but Forces Watch argue that they promote a one-sided view of military life and are an indirect recruiting tool.
Oskar Castro ran AFSC’s Youth and Militarism Programme and now works with Military Families Speak Out.
‘The UK armed forces visit thousands of schools each year,’ explained Emma Sangster, co-ordinator of Forces Watch, ‘They offer school presentation teams, youth teams, ‘careers advisors’ and lesson plans.’
She said that there are school students, teachers and parents who are ‘not happy with it and the influence it gives to militaristic approaches’.
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