To Kill a Thing of Value.

I see that one of the GCSE examination boards has moved to drop some examples of classic American literature like To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men from the curriculum because Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, has said that he wants British schools to promote more British literature.

Why? What has literature got to do with the promotion of nationality or national identity? Isn’t it a simple axiom that one of the fundamental values of all art forms, including literature, is that they transcend the artificial nature of national boundaries, that they seek the common language which connects humanity? They might represent national identity, but they don’t aim to promote it.

It seems that one little Tory xenophobe hasn’t got it yet. It doesn’t surprise me. I don’t suppose he or his ilk ever will. And the education of our children is in the hands of such a small mind.