Don’t sacrifice children’s schooling for the sake of political point-scoring

sir – I am head of maths in an independent school. Over the Easter holidays my department trained in online teaching. Since the very first day of this term, every single timetabled maths lesson has been delivered to each of our Year 9, 10 and 12 pupils.

Homework has been submitted online, marked and returned. If anything, undistracted by the temptations of full school life, many of my pupils are in an academically stronger position than would have been the case had we not had the school closure.

It strikes me that those students for whom I am responsible have an enormously unfair advantage. Surely, the sooner we make proper provision for all pupils, the better?

It cannot be right that children without such privilege and good fortune are being held back unnecessarily. Even if their teachers are in a position to deliver online lessons, not all students will have the access to the appropriate technology, or a quiet, safe working environment.

A crisis will always be an opportunity for political point‑scoring. But to sacrifice children’s future – as well as their present – on the altar of such manufactured concern seems to me to be deeply unfair. Ultimately, it is those who are already at a disadvantage who will suffer the most.

Garry Wiseman

Fordham, Cambridgeshire

sir – The row between the Government and the teaching unions reminds me of divorcing couples. It is always the children who get hurt.

Philip Roberts

Nant Peris, Caernarfonshire

sir – Teachers are no doubt grateful for, and make full use of, the services provided by health and care workers, delivery drivers, postal workers, food shop assistants, police officers and many others who, in spite of increased Covid‑19 risk, have continued to work.

What would be their response should those workers, or their trade unions, decide they should withdraw their labour?

Time for the teachers, therefore, to recognise they, too, provide an essential service and accept that they should not be so selfish and lacking in the community spirit they expect from others, as to block the proposed opening of schools.

Risk cannot be entirely eliminated, and there are no health and safety regulations that require it to be. It can, however, be managed, and there is no shortage of proposals to accomplish this.

Jim Pearson

Duxford, Cambridgeshire

sir – As a retired teacher, may I suggest that teaching and learning are based on solving problems? Could teachers not practise what they preach? Even Socrates did not believe in spoon‑feeding.

Sort it out; excite the imagination.

Patrick Briggs

Cambridge