Dear Mr. Gove,
My name is Gary Kaye and I am a teacher of English and Media Studies in a comprehensive state secondary school in North Yorkshire.
Like many teachers I am fed up with the constant criticism we face from the Department for Education and from OFSTED. I am also alarmed by the Government's move to soften up the education system for a wholesale future privatisation. Furthermore the raft of academic changes (both in terms of exams and curriculum) will have a negative effect on our profession. Finally, the tearing up of long-standing pension arrangements, the ridiculous idea that we are to work until 67 or 68 and the dismantling of teacher pay and conditions have led our profession into a mood of despair.
You constantly say that you are willing to listen to those in the profession and base your future judgements on what we have to say.
I hereby challenge you to a one on one public debate, at a time and place of your choosing, where we can discuss a full range of issues that are destroying the profession of teaching.
A failure to debate with me in a public place would indicate to me that you seek only to pursue your damaging changes whilst paying no heed to the genuine concerns of teachers who work incredibly hard in the classroom.
Why is this important?
I wish to debate with Michael Gove because he is all too ready to rubbish teaching and teachers, yet seldom does he stand toe to toe and listen to the genuine concerns that classroom practitioners have.
Please support me in my drive to try and get Michael Gove into the arena of public debate.
I am only one teacher, working as hard as I can. I only want to be listened to by the Secretary of State for Education. Is that too much to ask?
