What the poor really need is to go to a Military School

I think there are some kids, maybe boys especially, who benefit from a strict regime, and perhaps they even need someone breathing down their neck 24/7. Some don't cope well with having lots of free time to manage themselves. Some really need the feeling of esprit de corps and some benefit from having something very concrete to kick against.

However, to imply that the problems of all the poor or underperforming are down to lack of discipline (as represented by military schools) is basically an attempt to present a narrative that blames impoverished and overstretched parents and underfunded schools for the dire academic underperformance figures, the ASBO rates, the lack of preparedness for employment of so many young people.

The real story is that parents live with the enormous stress that comes from working dead end, underpaid jobs and dealing with the welfare system as housing costs skyrocket and the owner class gets richer on their backs, schools that can't cater for the complex needs of children living in grinding poverty, and the very sorry state of both youth and adult mental health and addiction services.

Serenity you are Sir Humphrey and I claim my £5.

Perhaps they've been watching re-runs of Bad Lads? Yes, the military experience can be the very making of some people. But it's not a panacea and I would be very wary of making this policy in general. That said, in a big conurbation, they'd probably get enough pupils. But it would be pretty dreadful for anyone who was allocated it because their actual preferences were full

I realise that you're talking about general education, but teenage DS is a part-time army musician and has learnt a huge amount that he wasn't prepared to hear from school staff or his parents - physical fitness, time management, ironing, getting up early, and how to reshape a damp woolly beret, for starters.

You get the impression that deep down the Tories believe that reintroducing corporal punishment in schools would solve all the ills of society.

Yes - the report seems a little dated now - it'll be interesting to see what fresh evidence the Tories come up with given the fact that Troops to Teachers didn't fare well. Also wonder which countries have been doing this well (and whether they are at all comparable to UK in any way).

I don't think this policy would necessarily be to provide a pipeline of kids to join the army (maybe some would join at 18)...I think the greater anticipated benefit would be for school workforce and financing issues...

You could imagine how unpopular military schools would be in certain parts of the UK.

Ha Ha it should read .... great prospects!

On the upside... I know someone (poor ) who joined the military. He passed several selection processes both physically and mentally. He did his driving licence working his way up past a lorry all the way to a tank.
Firstly, it's not that easy to join up - you need to demonstrate some stamina.
Secondly, said person would never have been able to afford to learn to drive a vehicle any time soon because of his background coming from a (financially) poor family.
Thirdly, the military does offer the right person great products.
Lastly, nobody is forced to join the military...

The military have always recruited from the poor. They used to take those who couldn’t get jobs elsewhere. Often from deprived areas and those with poor schools. No change really! Now they kill and maim soldiers and everyone knows about it, there are fewer recruits. No suriruse there either. Even the poor don’t want to get killed!

Why do people always want to mix up the military and education?

The same reason politicians want to do most things - pretend there are easy solutions to complex problems, garner a few good headlines in the right newspapers and ignore the actual problems.

Looks like Gavin had dusted this report off...
I went straight to the conclusion and the three level headings are;

• revitalising the reserves
• rescuing the young
• helping society

[reaches for chilled glass of wine]

www.respublica.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/jnw_ResPublica-Military-Academies.pdf

It's 1897 again.

In my experience starting out (once you’ve completed secondary) is difficult. Getting an apprenticeship if you have no connections or live in an area that doesn’t support apprenticeships makes it harder. If you have no exposure to employment options it’s hard to know what you want to do.
As with all things youth who have financial and family support often have other options, or enter later after some education at officer level.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the evidence gathering says!

Is this to meet a School financial sponsor need? Or an anticipated skills shortage in combat and non combat recruitment? Is this soft entry towards returning to national service? Why target poor kids?

I suspect Gavin W probably doesn't know either.

Surely the military have made it clear, for many years now, that they want professional service men and women and not to be a safety net for those with no other prospects

It’s not as though countries with national service don’t have any poor people is it?

Mind you my BF didn’t do national service ina country that had it. He’s gay, and his dad never shuts up about how if he’d done service he would’ve been “sorted out”

From being gay? 😂 what are the army going to do about that?

What the poor really need is to go to a Military School...
and all the other members of the "Snowflake Generation"!

It smacks a little too much of “ poor blaming” as in “ military service will sort them out” like they are trouble makers.
NO Gavin, money and equal life chances would sort them out!
I have worked in the military and seen them do wonderful things for kids from troubled backgrounds, but it’s not the answer for every poor kid. For every one that gets a sense of belonging another fails and feels even more on the margins.

Ahhh use the thick poor as cannon fodder

military service is a good option for some, and certainly needs to be promoted as an honorable option. where i live the military programs often are a little different than the national apprenticeship standards (for electrical technician for example) and are not exactly transferable after you have completed your service. that could be improved.
i would also like to see a service stream dedicated to non combat (say boarder control or emergency response) that might improve uptake.

Just for boys, or for girls too?

I hate the suggestions of military school or national service. I was in the army and have family still serving. Serving in the armed forces is not a punishment, its a bloody hard job for people who want to be there.