From Sunday Telegraph, Nov 4, 2001, p17

Teachers told not to preach against the war

By David Bamber
Home Affairs Correspondent

Teachers are to be told by the Government to remain impartial and not to preach against the military action in Afghanistan after growing signs that school staff are condemning the war.

The Department for Education and Skills has issued guidance for schools and head teachers in the light of the terrorist attack warning them that they must only give "accurate information" and provide an "appropriate" way to discuss the issues.

Ministers have become alarmed that some teachers are openly speaking out against the war on terrorism and encouraging children in their care as young as five to dissent.

One head teacher has already told his school assembly that he is against the war and is prepared to defy his governing body.

Peter Stevenson, the headmaster of Exeter Road Community School, in Exmouth, Devon, said: "I understand that not everybody will share my view, but I think it is important to be honest and express my opinions."

He added: "I am a member of CND and I oppose the bombing in Afghanistan because 'an eye for an eye will make everyone blind' as Martin Luther King said." [Actually I think it was Gandhi - oops, Telegraph subs missed that one. What is our public school education system coming to?]

"I am worried that the action will make the situation worse and create widespread suffering in Afghanistan because of the bombing of civilians."

He said: "After years hiding in the closet, I'm going to say what I think. I'm going to wear my CND badge every day and I'm not going to take it off for governors' meetings."

Mr Stevenson, 45, who is married with two young children who attend his school, said that there was a growing peace group at his school, including many parents, but admitted that others had objected to his stand against the war.

He added that he was encouraging his school's 327 pupils, aged five to 11, to discuss all aspects of recent events and was not seeking to indoctrinate them.

Councillor May Hardy, a member of the governors at Mr Stevenson's school, condemned his actions. She said: "I do not believe you should ever take politics into the classroom.

"I do not agree with what he is saying either. These people who caused the outrages in America are terrorists and I don't think he should be expressing an opinion about it at school."

John Hart, the Conservative executive member of Devon County Council in charge of education, last night said: "I do not think any teacher should air his personal views in front of children at their school."

Damian Green, the shadow education secretary, said all teachers must remain impartial. He said: "It is wrong-headed and dangerous for teachers, especially head teachers, to allow their personal opinions to intrude in the classroom or assembly hall.

"Children look up to their head teachers and to preach against the war on terrorism at this time seems particularly ill thought out."

Jeff Ennis, a Labour member of the House of Commons Education Select Committee, said: "As a former primary teacher myself, I would never have dreamt of letting my personal opinions intrude in the classroom.

"This is a complex moral issue and teachers have every right to hold their own opinions but they must be sensitive to the fact they are dealing with young children," said the MP for Barnsley East and Mexborough.

"In some senses the current war is a matter of conscience not party politics, but you have to be very careful."

He said it was up to the governing body of each school to keep a close watch on what was being taught.

The Department for Education and Skills has now issued guidance to schools and teachers that says: "Schools can help to provide accurate information, challenge crude stereotyping and provide a safe environment in which children and young people can explore their understanding and come to terms with their fears.

"Schools should maintain an atmosphere as normal as possible neither denying recent events nor letting them take over."

It says teachers should use their "professional judgement" to ensure schools "respond appropriately".


MoD takes military campaign to schools

By Chris Hastings

Defence chiefs are to combat anti-war feeling in schools by launching a new initiative aimed at winning the hearts and minds of Britain's schoolchildren.

The Ministry of Defence is to appoint a schools adviser to increase awareness of the Armed Forces among staff and pupils. The adviser will head a series of "defence presentation teams" which will go into schools and lobby for the military. A vital component of the new initiative will be the publication of defence-related material that can be used as part of the national curriculum. There will also be a new MoD website which will be aimed specifically at secondary schools.

An advertisement for the new job, which details how "the MOD is looking to increase its activity with schools and colleges", has appeared in a number of specialist publications. The timing of the appointment has been seized upon by critics who claim that it is an attempt to bolster what they say is flagging public support for military action in Afghanistan.

Paul Marsden, the Labour MP who has infuriated his own party whips by voicing opposition to the military action, last night condemned the new appointment as an "outrageous" waste of money. He said: "I am not against Army recruiting officers going into schools and trying to sell the Army as a career. But we are talking about something very different here. You have to question the timing of something like this.

"Should we really be wasting taxpayers' money on what is essentially a spin doctor for schools? I think teachers and parents would much prefer it if this money was spent on books. Alastair Campbell has already established a network of international spin centres and now we have this attempt to indoctrinate children."

Supporters of the appointment, however, said it was a long overdue move. They feel the MoD has lost out to groups such as CND which have regular contact with schools through their own information officers.

The initiative was welcomed by David Clark, a former Labour Party defence spokesman, who is now chairman of the Atlantic Council of Great Britain, which was set up to promote NATO among children. He said: "It will not be brainwashing. Children today are far too intelligent for that. They can get information from a number of sources and compare the information they get from the Army with other information points."