It's quite simple. Gove is a product of a very elite system. He went to the most exclusive private schools where Mr Gradgrind is the pedagogical role model. Sadly, Gove know who Dickens is but the next generation of UK youth will not. He is narrow and ideological. He is not respected by UK educators as he is imposing upper class education from the 1950s onto the youth of today. We can't force children to be scientists by creating a biased curriculum - we have to give them breadth in their education and allow them to make their own, informed decisions. Science and the Arts are not in opposition, this is a false dualism! Like Miranda, I am enraged by this.

Yes, yes, and Yes. After curiosity, creativity is the major required skill for scientists, researchers and engineers. So much so that I include chapters on developing the skill in in my textbook. In addition, writing and communicating via drawings are self-evidently such important skills that they cannot be excluded.

I wonder why should these subjects be removed at all! They're the stuff that gives balance to an academic diet of science and maths. I enjoyed almost all of Shakespeare, while I was in secondary school. I think it helps divergent thinking and ignites creativity.

Miranda, I agree. Ian, I agree. These subjects have value both for science and for humans besides their importance for science. I don't think I understood fully what I had learned about science and life until I embraced the social and artistic aspects of humanity.

@Miranda, rhetoric questions sometimes need to be answered to advance an idea. Some of the people who are planning for the future of our kids might be tempted to think that it is completely sufficient when our phones are smart. We don't need to be, we have to be functional.

In a world desperately in need of interdisciplinary work (not only in research) the idea of eliminating creative subjects is not constructive, to be very polite here. So, UK academics leave Hyde Park and take to the streets.

Dear friends, I may seem rather emotional concerning this matter. Please excuse my behavior. It happens that my dad loves Shakespeare and all my siblings and cousins were named from Shakespeare's plays. So I have reacted in this manner :(

@Miranda: No need to apologise. I also get hot under the collar when, what I regard as illogical is proposed by e.g. politicians.

It's quite simple. Gove is a product of a very elite system. He went to the most exclusive private schools where Mr Gradgrind is the pedagogical role model. Sadly, Gove know who Dickens is but the next generation of UK youth will not. He is narrow and ideological. He is not respected by UK educators as he is imposing upper class education from the 1950s onto the youth of today. We can't force children to be scientists by creating a biased curriculum - we have to give them breadth in their education and allow them to make their own, informed decisions. Science and the Arts are not in opposition, this is a false dualism! Like Miranda, I am enraged by this.