Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education: Retract the ban on American novels for GCSE English Literature

American classics including Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird', John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men', and Arthur Miller’s 'The Crucible' have been dropped from new English Literature GCSEs because the education secretary Michael Gove has insisted that teenagers study works by British writers. Gove is basing this decision on personal preference for British texts, rather than on the advice of those qualified to make such a decision, or for any sound reason that would benefit the students.

We believe that education is something that should be expanded, not narrowed down to the point where controversies are avoided, students no longer question teachers and debatable matters become facts. The focus on British texts will create a generation of youths who, by no fault of their own, are so patriotic and ignorant that they are bordering on racist.

To put it simply, to cut off American classics is to cut off students' understanding of other cultures and traditions, a price we cannot afford to pay in today's rich and diverse society. These classic texts have succeeded in capturing the interest of students and inspiring them to study English further at A Level, in ways that an exclusive study of pre-20th century British works cannot.

The government is set to unveil the full list of texts this week, and we urge them to reconsider this narrow-minded concept of literature, so that the future generations have a broader understanding of cultures across the globe and maintain the passion for English Literature that has stemmed from studying American texts.