Conscientious Objection: Discerning and Documenting a Claim

from the Quaker Religious Education Collaborative

A series of sessions from 7:00pm-8:30pm: December 27 – January 3 – January 10- January 24

Now that the Selective Service System (SSS) registration for the draft in most states is automatic when getting a state driver’s license, Quaker youth and other youth of faith rarely consider making a claim as a conscientious objector (CO). Youth miss the opportunity to discern and articulate their nonviolent beliefs and opposition to war. If a draft were ever reinstated, they could have as little as nine days to prepare a CO claim before having to go before a local draft board.

This workshop is an opportunity for youth (both young men and young women) to consider their beliefs and to learn the process for documenting a CO claim if they feel led to do so. This workshop is also an opportunity for other people of faith (parents, grandparents, and community mentors) to learn how they can support youth to consider these important questions.

Workshop Leaders:
• Curt Torell of Chapel Hill Friends Meeting
• Andrew Wright of Durham Friends Meeting
• Will Strayer of Durham Friends Meeting

Workshop Sessions:
Will include watching a film on one’s own time before December 27 and participating in 4 Sunday evening Zoom sessions from 7-8:30 pm ET on
• December 27
• January 3
• January 10
• January 24

Registration:
All participants must register by filling out this Google Form. A suggested donation of $5 (to help cover the cost of the license to watch the film Soldiers of Conscience) will be collected by PayPal once the workshop has begun.

Resources:
We will provide access for participants to watch “Soldiers of Conscience” and will provide a folder with various documents from Curt’s curriculum “Conscientious Objection: Is This for You?”.

Watch the QuakerSpeak interview with Curt to learn more.

To register and get resources – click here.