A response to Pigiaki's critique (Educational Review, 47, pp. 289-296)
of David Hargreaves' 1994 Demos pamphlet The Mosaic of Learning: scho
ols and teachers for the next century, corrects several serious misrep
resentations in Pigiaki's account and comments on selected criticisms,
particularly the suggestion that Hargreaves's work reveals ideologica
l gaps. The article defends the thesis that diversity and choice, if p
rotected by adherence to the comprehensive principle, is a desirable d
evelopment in secondary education. By distinguishing three perspective
s on comprehensive schools, named selective, traditionalist and evolut
ionist, it suggests that the issue of diversity and choice will, under
a New Labour government, be an important area for policy development
in which academics could play an influential role. The use of pamphlet
s to reach non-academic audiences interested in policy development is
urged.