Product reviews for Square Pegs

Madeleine Holt, in FORUM, Issue no. 65:2

One of the most powerful aspects of the book is hearing about the travails of individual children from those who’ve tried to help them. Sometimes their stories end badly, being chucked out and finding the well-trodden path into the youth justice system. Or they endure crushingly poor mental health which scars the rest of their lives. Other times the story ends upliftingly. And it’s these stories that are so very valuable in Square Pegs.

At the heart of Square Pegs is a plea for flexibility. For not treating all students the same. In this sense it tackles the fundamental distinction between equality and equity. Gove and his acolytes have cleverly marshalled arguments around equality as guarantees of social justice: all children should have the right to the same core body of knowledge, and only by treating everyone the same can we ensure standards across the board. But, as the nine-year-old at the start of this review shrewdly points out, treating everyone equally doesn’t make everyone happy.

Read the full review here.

From: Bethan | Date: 14/07/2023 13:50

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