THE controversial prize-winning textbook for 5-14 environmental studies which was withdrawn following complaints about its portrayal of Glasgow has been reissued by its publisher, Hodder and Stoughton Educational.
The Lord Provost of Glasgow had complained last November about Society and You, winner of the annual TES ScotlandSaltire Award for a book aimed at the Scottish curriculum.
In a section on economic and social conditions in different parts of the world, there was a cartoon of a 13-year-old girl with a speech balloon proclaiming: “I live on the streets of Glasgow. I ran away from home at 13. I got in with a bad crowd. I am a drug addct. My life is a mess.”
The offending reference to the city has now been removed. A “sticker” replacement omits any link with Glasgow.
John Mitchell, Hodder’s sales and marketing director, said: “It was plainly wrong to single out Glasgow for the example, and we have taken the appropriate step of making good our apology by reissuing the book in amended form and sending every primary school in Glasgow a free copy.”
He added that “a lot of very disappointed teachers” had found Society and You of great use for environmental studies and were cross they could no longer buy it. “I hope everyone’s happy now.”
Jotter, back page
