- Jo Heywood is head of girls-only Heathfield School in Ascot, Berkshire
- She criticised TOWIE's Joey Essex, and former cast member, Mark Wright
- Has warned she is 'deeply concerned about dumbing down of culture in UK'
By Sarah Harris
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Headmistress of Heathfield School Jo Heywood said appearing 'dumb' is seen as a good way to make a fortune
Reality TV shows such as The Only Way is Essex and Made in Chelsea are infecting too many classrooms with a 'culture of stupidity', according to a leading headmistress.
Jo Heywood said Michael Gove's education reforms are being jeopardised because appearing 'dumb' is seen as a good way to make a fortune rather than working hard.
She singled out TOWIE's Joey Essex, who cannot tell the time and is capitalising on his reputation for being dense as well as former cast member, Mark Wright, for particula r criticism.
Mr Wright now has his own Heart FM radio show but has previously been described as 'disastrously dim' after comparing his jungle experience on I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here to soldiers fighting in 'Africa'.
The headmistress of Heathfield School in Ascot, Berkshire, said she was 'deeply concerned about the dumbing down of culture in the UK'.
Children's education and interest in learning face 'unprecedented threats from the 'culture of stupidity' all around them', she claims in her blog to be published on the school website this week.
The mother-of-three said: 'At first, reality TV may have seemed ironic – a TV experiment where we peered in at others' lives but now it has taken on a life of its own and some of its stars reflect the education system they have been brought up in.
'Some children and teenagers see them as role models who se behaviour they wish to emulate and whose lives they wish to emulate.' Mrs Heywood, 42, described TOWIE - which Joey Essex is currently taking a break from - and Made in Chelsea as 'mind-numbingly dull'.
But, worryingly, the so-called stars of the shows are 'lauded for their lack of intellect and, in some cases blatant stupidity to the extreme of a 'culture of stupidity' being the norm'.
She attacked 'lazy' TV executives for 'cross-pollinating' shows, with Joey Essex appearing on I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, for example.
She said: 'The shows and their stars become a touchstone to their young audiences – the watercooler TV for their generation.
'They laugh along when Joey Essex tells millions he can't tell the time and revel in his ignorance.
'What sort of message does this send to the nation's teens, the majority of whom are within an education system which is bottoming out in the world education league – about working hard and improving their own rigour? 
She singled out TOWIE's Joey Essex, who cannot tell the time, for particular criticism
'Yes the likes of Mark Wright may have used the show (TOWIE) as a springboard for a radio career but what do they see and think about working hard if young people, many like themselves, are effectively making a living out of swapping tittle tattle and minutiae about their love lives and beauty regimes and making millions?'
Mrs Heywood described an 'erosion of respect' among children for adults as they mimic the behaviour they see on TV screens.
She said: 'The reality TV circus has come full circle because the rise of celebrity culture, the bedfellow of reality TV, has meant that our children have started to mirror some of those traits and they have become less respectful to their elders and peers.
'They can't see the benefit of working hard which is perhaps one of the biggest challenges Mr Gove faces in his battle to improve the school system.
'While TV companies continue to make shows for the lowest common denominator to make as much money as possible, this culture of stupidity will continue to infect our classrooms.
'These stars become like friends to them – they discuss them at school and they believe they have more relevance in their lives than historical figures.' Mrs Heywood also attacked Channel Four's Educating Yorkshire - set in Thornhill Community Academy - for encouraging children to aspire to be reality stars.
![The headmistress questioned how to make it cool to be clever when [you have] the likes of Mark Wright 'who appears to be not very bright'. She went on to say that mr Wright must be a clever man as he used TOWIE as a springboard to fortune](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/12/29/article-2530867-16D9FB69000005DC-617_634x884.jpg)
The headmistress questioned how to make it cool to be clever when [you have] the likes of Mark Wright 'who appears to be not very bright'. She went on to say that mr Wright must be a clever man as he used TOWIE as a springboard to fortune
She said: 'Where in the past this may have been a one-off documentary, this was presented as a primetime entertainment reality TV series, even with its own Christmas special.
'While I certainly applaud some of the inspirational teachers and pupils who appeared, I do have to question whether it is morally right to make reality TV stars of the children and their teachers.' Speaking about her blog last night, Mrs Heywood said many reality TV shows are 'damaging' the work of schools.
She said: 'How do we make it cool to be clever when (you have) the likes of Mr Wright for example, who appears to be not very bright, when actually, let's be honest, I think he is quite a clever man as he's used this whole TOWIE as a springboard.
'He can make millions and millions and he doesn't have to stretch his brain. It' s okay to be dumb. Likewise, Joey Essex not knowing how to tell the time. That' s a real concern for me.
'The target audience that are watching this are the teenage kids who are the ones expected by Michael Gove to get their heads down and work really hard.'
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