Schooling children for peace not war

Commenting on a new Forces Watch report that raises concerns about armed forces visits to Scottish schools, Simon Barrow, co-director of the Christian think-tank Ekklesia, said:

"This is an important and unsettling report. Covert military recruitment among school children is entirely inappropriate.

"In a year when we are focussing on the tragedy of war, with the 1914 anniversary, schools should be focussing on promoting alternatives to violent conflict and armed force.

"There have been many hundreds of conflagrations since the 'war to end all wars', and the emphasis of both education and remembrance needs to be on peacemaking, conflict transformation and peace-building. Schools are one place where this can and should start."

* More on the report: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/21174

* Ekklesia's annual and Christmas appeal 2014 is focussed on transforming remembrance into an opportunity for peace advocacy rather than the glorification of war: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/annualappeal2014