Quaker advice on discussing the military in schools
'Last month the peace education team sent the leaflets to schools which have been visited by the military or arms companies.'
The risk of suicide is two-to-four times higher for young veterans than it is for regular civilians, according to new research commissioned by the Ministry of Defence.
Quakers highlighted the research in an article about how to engage with schools that are approached by the military.
Writing on the Quakers in Britain website, Isabel Cartright, who works on peace education for Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW), said that she often hears from Quakers who are troubled by military-linked events at school. The team has produced a leaflet called ‘Responding to military engagement in schools’ to help begin conversations. The leaflet also highlights the obligation to promote peace, tolerance and nonviolence (under UN Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 29).
Last month the peace education team sent the leaflets to schools which have been visited by the military or arms companies.
Isabel Cartright also emphasised that the UK is one of the few countries that still recruits sixteen-year-olds to its military. ‘It’s unique in relying so heavily on under-18s to fill the ranks. The armed forces use an understanding of adolescent psychology to embed positive ideas about military life and exploit developmental vulnerabilities and social inequality.’ Citing research from ForcesWatch, she says that the youngest recruits are channelled into the most dangerous roles and have worse mental health outcomes than civilians of comparable age and background.
‘Schools need to think carefully about these risks… There’s currently no official guidance on military engagement (though Quakers in Britain is calling for it).
‘The Welsh and Scottish governments have recognised that guidance is needed’, writes Isabel Cartright. ‘This is a start.’
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