Teachers upset with Alan Johnson

LONDON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The director of the National Association for the Teaching of English says British Education Secretary Alan Johnson is a "bird brain."

Johnson has insisted that students read books by classic authors like Charles Dickens and George Eliot within their first three years of secondary education, The Telegraph reported.

But teachers are worried that such author's works may be too difficult for many pupils aged 11 to 14 and could put them off the writers for good.

Ian McNeilly, NATE's director, accused Johnson of trying to win over "Middle England" with the tough texts.

"The guy's a bird brain," he said. "Forcing children to study texts that are inappropriate puts them off the text, the author and the subject."