Educators Allied Against Militarism: Lessons From the U.S. Counter-Recruitment Movement

• In Event: In a Time of Permanent War: A Symposium to Generate a Culture of Peace

Abstract

Educators Allied Against Militarism: Lessons from the U.S. Counter-Recruitment Movement
Abstract:
Since the end of World War II the United States has adopted an aggressive and often unilateral foreign policy and engaged in a permanent mobilization for war. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks war preparation has intensified, a phenomenon reflected in key social institutions, with a military presence in public schools assuming a paramount importance. With a reliance on an all-volunteer military in the United States, military recruitment assumes a dual purpose: the explicit function of ensuring adequate military manpower needs and a latent socialization function. The latter helps maintain the military's status as an important social institution and viable career path for youth. Increasingly public schools in the United States have become a key site of socialization to militarism and a successful venue for military recruitment.
In a challenge to this growing militarization of schools, military counter-recruitment (CR) has emerged as an effective grassroots movement. Counter-recruitment utilizes community organizing methods to confront the structures supporting socialization of youth to a culture of militarism. Despite operating with limited resources, counter-recruitment has secured key legal and policy victories that undermine the dominant social narrative about military service and assumptions about U.S. foreign policy.
Although CR activists have been organizing for more than thirty years, there have been few empirical studies of the movement. Based on informant interviews and primary documents, we examine two historical and two contemporary examples of counter-recruitment. We locate the work of local CR groups within Friesen's (2010) model of five symbolic struggles being waged between military recruiters and their counterparts in public school settings. We illustrate the different tactics and strategies used for successful organizing within a culture of militarism and demonstrate how early activism shaped a national counter-recruitment movement.
While counter-recruitment activism historically drew upon a wide range of participants for community support, we illustrate the key role increasingly played by progressive educators. At times these activists utilize school settings to raise awareness among students, parents, and fellow educators. They may also use their status as teachers to build broad-based community coalitions among unions, clergy, and civil society organizations.
We conclude that the continued growth of the counter-recruitment movement depends on fostering a greater level of participation amongst teachers. Our examples suggest three key reasons counter-recruiters need teachers to be most effective. First, teachers understand the school system inside and out. Second, teachers bring credibility to counter-recruitment groups. Finally, teachers – as middle-class professionals who tend to work and live in the same community – bring a measure of stability to CR organizations.

Authors

• Seth Kershner, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

• Scott Harding, University of Connecticut