A series of public meetings organised by ForcesWatch on

YOUNG PEOPLE AND MILITARISM IN THE U.S. AND U.K.:
CHALLENGING MILITARY PRESENCE IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
with U.S. speaker, Oskar Castro plus David Gee, Ben Griffin, School Students Against the War and others

LONDON Meeting to launch ForcesWatch’s Military Out Of Schools campaign
Saturday 9 July 2011, 7pm
Housmans Bookshop. 5 Caledonian Road, London N1 9DY

COVENTRY Tuesday 12 July 2011, 7pm
Peace House, 311 Stoney Stanton Road, CV6 5DS

LONDON Wednesday 13 July 2011, 7pm
Friends House, Euston Road, NW1 2BJ
A workshop for those wanting to get more involved

EDINBURGH Thursday 14 July 2011, 7pm
Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, EH1 2JL

The UK armed forces visit thousands of schools each year. They offer school presentation teams, youth teams, ‘careers advisors’ and lessons plans. The Government is suggesting the expansion of cadet forces within state schools to encourage the military ‘spirit’ and that ex-soldiers mentor youngsters in schools.

While there are claims that school involvement is not about recruiting young people, the Ministry of Defence has itself stated that visits to educational establishments are a “powerful tool for facilitating recruitment”.

Should the armed forces be given access to children within education? How can we challenge their activities in schools and colleges? How can a more balanced view of what life in the armed forces involves be given to young people?

The meeting will look at initiatives to tackle military involvement in public education in the U.S. and what can be learned for challenging the presence of the armed forces in U.K. schools and colleges.

Oskar Castro is currently the Director of the US organisation, Military Families Speak Out. Previously he was the Coordinator of the American Friends Service Committee’s Youth and Militarism Program, which seeks to reduce the influence of the military in schools, to provide young people with alternatives to military service and to empower them to become peacemakers within their communities.

David Gee is the author of Informed Choice: Armed forces recruitment practice in the UK

Ben Griffin, ex SAS, left the UK armed forces in 2005. He is the patron of ForcesWatch.

School Students Against War have been active, and successful, in challenging the military in their schools and colleges.

ForcesWatch raises awareness and campaigns on issues of ethical concern and the armed forces. Our work includes challenging unethical recruitment practices, raising concerns about human rights within the military and questioning the climate of uncritical national pride in the armed forces.