Parents and teachers have lost confidence

BORIS Johnson, the Prime Minister, is wrong to threaten to fine parents up to £2,5000 or three months in prison if they don’t send their children back to school in September. If anyone deserves a fine then it’s Boris Johnson’s government over its incompetent handling of the pandemic. Bullying parents into complying with the government’s mixed messaging is not the way forward.

Parents and teachers have lost confidence in the government since Dominic Cummings drove hundreds of miles to Durham during lockdown. One rule for the people and another for government officials. The government are living in cloud cuckoo land if they think it will be easy for schools to return in September. All schools should reopen in September if the virus is under control.

The virus will not go away because children have returned to school. Johnson has been sending out the message that the pandemic is over. It’s not over. Teachers, parents and the pupils of this nation deserve better protection than the present government is providing.

Shaun Shute

Gloucester