Takeshi Shimoto

Takeshi Shimoto (b. June 19, 3450) is a Dranish teacher and politician of the right-wing Rally for the Republic who currently serves as Minister of Education and Culture.

Life
Shimoto was born and educated in Gongmangdo-Comares, the "capital of the Kyo" in Dranland. Like many descendants from the Kyo upper class, he was educated at the prestigious Gongmangdo University (GU), where he earned a B.A. and an MSc.

After his studies, he became a public school teacher, yet he soon became critical of the education system and particularly of the influence of teachers' unions, who he had joined as a young teacher but soon left again. He switched to teaching at a private school in 3478, which he preferred, but became disappointed that disadvantaged students had no chance of receiving education there.

Politics
In September 3484, he decided to run for Mayor of Gongmangdo-Comares as an Independent, campaigning for the privatization of public education and the the transformation of tuition subsidies into means tested loans. However, these policies were unpopular with the significant student population of GC, as well as faculty members at GU. In the end, he lost 37-63 percent to the leftist incumbent.

His next chance came in 3492, when he ran for Parliament on an RFR ticket. Due to running in a wealthy suburb district of GC, he managed to score a clear victory, although his seat had been considered safe blue anyway.

In Parliament, he again made education his core theme, and continued to rally for school vouchers and tuition loans, proposing several bills aimed at privatization and giving numerous speeches on the issue. In 3500, he finally became the RFR's official education critic, allowing him to present his ideas to a broader audience.

When a right-wing government sympathetic towards education reform took power in 3515, he became Minister of Education and culture.