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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Teachers reject 'Army propaganda' | Teachers reject 'Army propaganda' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Teachers have voted to oppose military recruitment activities in schools if they employ "misleading propaganda". | Teachers have voted to oppose military recruitment activities in schools if they employ "misleading propaganda". |
| Young people must be given a true picture of Army life, not a "marketised version", the National Union of Teachers conference heard. | Young people must be given a true picture of Army life, not a "marketised version", the National Union of Teachers conference heard. |
| The Ministry of Defence (MoD) denies actively recruiting in schools but says it does visit to raise awareness when invited in by head teachers. | The Ministry of Defence (MoD) denies actively recruiting in schools but says it does visit to raise awareness when invited in by head teachers. |
| Some teachers complain the Army uses sophisticated methods of recruitment. | Some teachers complain the Army uses sophisticated methods of recruitment. |
| Paul McGarr, a teacher from east London, said only when recruiting materials gave a true picture of war would he welcome them into his school. | Paul McGarr, a teacher from east London, said only when recruiting materials gave a true picture of war would he welcome them into his school. |
| 'Shoot and possibly torture' class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYIf secondary school pupils do not have a clear idea about the futility and horrors of war then teachers are failingHenry, Bristol class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4523">Send us your comments | |
| These would have to say: "Join the Army and we will send you to carry out the imperialist occupation of other people's countries," Mr McGarr said. | These would have to say: "Join the Army and we will send you to carry out the imperialist occupation of other people's countries," Mr McGarr said. |
| "Join the Army and we will send you to bomb, shoot and possibly torture fellow human beings in other countries. | "Join the Army and we will send you to bomb, shoot and possibly torture fellow human beings in other countries. |
| "Join the Army and we will send you probably poorly equipped into situations where people will try to shoot or kill you because you are occupying other people's countries. | "Join the Army and we will send you probably poorly equipped into situations where people will try to shoot or kill you because you are occupying other people's countries. |
| "Join the Army, and if you survive and come home, possibly injured or mentally damaged, you and your family will be shabbily treated." | "Join the Army, and if you survive and come home, possibly injured or mentally damaged, you and your family will be shabbily treated." |
| Delegate from Lambeth, south London, Chris Kelly, said he was offered free teaching materials, which he only later discovered were from the MoD. | Delegate from Lambeth, south London, Chris Kelly, said he was offered free teaching materials, which he only later discovered were from the MoD. |
| "We must also ask ourselves why the MoD are in there influencing the way our students view the Army in the 21st Century. | "We must also ask ourselves why the MoD are in there influencing the way our students view the Army in the 21st Century. |
| "They find it difficult to recruit into the armed forces and are trying to encouraging them to join up," he said. | "They find it difficult to recruit into the armed forces and are trying to encouraging them to join up," he said. |
| Decision | Decision |
| Executive member Martin Reed said young people should have the means to make an informed choice when deciding whether or not to sign up for an Army career. | Executive member Martin Reed said young people should have the means to make an informed choice when deciding whether or not to sign up for an Army career. |
| He gave the example of school careers service Connexions which warned on its website that young people should not make this decision lightly. | He gave the example of school careers service Connexions which warned on its website that young people should not make this decision lightly. |
| It warned that war could be dangerous and that there were humanitarian casualties, he said. | It warned that war could be dangerous and that there were humanitarian casualties, he said. |
| Another teacher, Stefan Simms, from Ealing, west London, said those that were recruited would "come back knowing the horrors of war, maybe having committed the horrors of war." | Another teacher, Stefan Simms, from Ealing, west London, said those that were recruited would "come back knowing the horrors of war, maybe having committed the horrors of war." |
| A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We do not recruit in schools. | A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "We do not recruit in schools. |
| "The single-service schools teams visit about 1,000 schools a year between them only at the invitation of the school - with the aim of raising the general awareness of their armed forces in society, not to recruit." | "The single-service schools teams visit about 1,000 schools a year between them only at the invitation of the school - with the aim of raising the general awareness of their armed forces in society, not to recruit." |
| But some teachers argue these visits have a wider purpose. | But some teachers argue these visits have a wider purpose. |
| 'Patronising' | 'Patronising' |
| The NUT will now convene a summit of teachers, educationalists and others to consider the issue of military recruitment in schools. | The NUT will now convene a summit of teachers, educationalists and others to consider the issue of military recruitment in schools. |
| Teachers who opposed recruitment activities based on "misleading propaganda" would be supported. | Teachers who opposed recruitment activities based on "misleading propaganda" would be supported. |
| An ex-soldier, Terry, told BBC Radio Five Live that the union's attitude was patronising to 16-year-olds. | An ex-soldier, Terry, told BBC Radio Five Live that the union's attitude was patronising to 16-year-olds. |
| "Now 16-year-olds are not kids - they know, they know their mind," he said. | "Now 16-year-olds are not kids - they know, they know their mind," he said. |
| "If they are not sure what they want to do and they are just tinkering with the idea of just going in the Army - nowadays they can go in the Army, they go on a six-week camp and they find out what it's like. | "If they are not sure what they want to do and they are just tinkering with the idea of just going in the Army - nowadays they can go in the Army, they go on a six-week camp and they find out what it's like. |
| "If its not for them, they have the choice to leave." | "If its not for them, they have the choice to leave." |