Why Equality, Mutual Respect and Inclusiveness Matter to Learning

The positive conceptualisation of the individual that appears present in the Quaker school culture and was discussed in Chap. 8 will be shown in this chapter to emerge from the high degree of value placed on equality within the schools. It will be argued that despite sounding contradictory, the social valuing of equality and positive individualism within the culture of Quaker schools are complementary. Students’ and teachers’ perceptions of their roles and responsibilities appear to be negotiated, each recognising the intrinsic equality of the other despite accepting variations in degrees of control and freedom. How equality underpins cultures of mutual respect and inclusiveness will be revealed from the interviews with students and teachers. Some speak about being accepted when they felt themselves to be different and others talk about their sense of the importance of active participation in all aspects of school life. The culture created within these environments of trust appear to reduce students’ sense of anxiety and build their confidence to take risks, thus aiding their learning. In this respect, equality can be seen as an educational value in its own right, linked to the concept of inclusiveness (Korsgaard, 2016).