Conflict Rages over School Books `Canon'

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A FIERCE battle has broken out among government advisers over whether children should be taught a canon of great literature.

One group has voted to ban a prescribed list of authors put forward as part of Sir Ron Dearing's overhaul of the curriculum. Another group at the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, which Sir Ron chairs, is determined to keep the list. They expect to win the backing of a full meeting of the authority, which will finalise the curriculum in 10 days' time.

The dispute could bring renewed conflict between ministers and English teachers: teachers are in a majority on the English advisory group which wants the list dropped.

Teachers …