The NUT and the army

The National Union of Teachers has voted to oppose military recruitment activities in schools if they employ “misleading propaganda”. The MoD has denied recruiting in schools and said that its activities are to raise “general awareness of the armed forces in society, not to recruit”. The army can clearly offer a good career to young people; there are also of course very considerable risks. As one of the NUT delegates said of joining the army this is not a decision people should take lightly.

I am most impressed, however, by Mr. McGarr, a teacher from London, who said “Join the Army and we will send you to carry out the imperialist occupation of other people’s countries”. I was worried that teachers no longer held views like this. Clearly some still do: I hope Mr. McGarr also wears a cord jacket with leather elbow patches for teaching. Maybe the world has not changed after all.

Turgon

This author has not written a biography and will not be writing one.