No education at all

sir – I am confused. As a retired headmaster, I consider that my main job was to ensure that the children under my watch were provided with the best education possible. The new normal, however, seems to involve ensuring that children have no education at all.

I genuinely do not understand. The science suggests that children are not at risk, yet teaching unions, for some unknown reason, refuse to let teachers teach and insist on remote learning, which is not actually happening. Why should teachers continue to be paid by the state for a service they are not providing? This may be a new world, but unions politicising the future of our next generation cannot be right.

Paul Ashley

Helmsley, North Yorkshire sir – Stephen Carpenter (Letters, June 15) asks if children need to be educated in a school building. He suggests that they can receive instruction online.

Indeed they can, but what they cannot do online is experience the academic, sporting, cultural and social interaction with others that is so valuable in the learning process, and without which they would be much the poorer.

Hamish Hunter

Marlow, Buckinghamshire

sir – Why are our children not in school? When out walking, I see large groups of teenagers congregating and certainly not social distancing.

Jean Hayes

Harrogate, North Yorkshire

sir – How can it be acceptable for children to be allowed to go shopping with a parent in somewhat crowded areas, and yet be unable to return to school due to social-distancing issues and the risk posed to everyone’s safety?

Laura Madden

Leicester