I’m out ... raged: anger at Dragons’ Den-style lesson in arms dealing
SCOTTISH schoolchildren are being encouraged to become arms dealers and sell weapons in a Dragons’ Den-style lesson branded “immoral” by critics and condemned for glamorising war. The lesson is aimed at 14 to 16-year-old pupils in S2 to S4 and themed around World War One, with children asked to choose a weapon to sell and pitch to the ‘Dragons’, inspired by TV business gurus such as Deborah Meaden, right.
But critics say the lesson is “outrageous” and the Scottish Greens have written to the Scottish Government asking that schools in Scotland are advised that it should no longer be taught. The teaching package can be downloaded from the educational website, Tes. Children are told: “It is your job to present a well-researched, well-explained pitch of your weapon to the Dragons. Each Dragon can pick only two weapons to arm their military with. Make sure your argument is good enough to secure at least one order. “What problem does your weapon solve? Where are you up to with prototyping or testing? Who is your target market? Why would they want to buy your weapon? What advantages would it give an army?” The lesson is available to schools across the UK and at time of writing had been downloaded 7,669 times.
It was condemned by the Campaign Against Arms Trade which said it was “totally inappropriate” for schools to be encouraging the role of arms dealers, adding “particularly when there is no reference to the devastating consequences that these weapons can have”.
Ross Greer MSP, Education spokesman for the Scottish Greens, said it was “absolutely outrageous” that children are being “presented with the horrors and mass slaughter not just as a game but as if it’s good business”.
He added: “This was one of the most