Letter to The Editor - Even then VATE appeared to have been ‘captured by the left’!

to THE AUSTRALIAN
     The core idea chosen for its annual conference by the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English is excellent (‘Teachers give identity politics a classroom push’, 27/10).  Secondary students indeed could benefit greatly from teaching that examines the role of ‘iconoclasts, dissidents, the marginalized and those who do not swim in the mainstream.’
     However, it appears that the actual choice of speakers and session themes is irresponsibly biased in favour of currently fashionable left-wing preoccupations. Nothing changes! I lost interest in VATE after struggling in vain with some other English teachers to save the Higher School Certificate and its examinations structure in 1983. Even then VATE appeared to have been ‘captured by the left’!
     NJ, Belgrave, Vic