Teaching children to live with diversity: a response to 'Tocqueville on democracy and inclusive education: a more ardent and enduring love of equality than of liberty'

Abstract

First paragraph: Steven Connolley and Rune Sarromaa Hausstätter are to be warmly congratulated for rescuing Alexis de Tocqueville from undeserved obscurity. His sociological analysis, they rightly argue, offers important insights which are of great assistance in re-examining inclusive education and its current fervent, but uncritical, pursuit. I agree wholeheartedly with Connolley and Hausstätter that we need to stop and question the assumptions and values associated with the inclusive education imperative. However, I do not share their view that schools should eschew the pursuit of democracy through inclusive education and concern themselves exclusively with intellectual achievement and personal development. I argue instead that offering children opportunities to engage with, and critically evaluate, diversity and inclusion can enhance their understanding of others – and of themselves.