Please return for kids’ sake

IT’S a “class war” that’s to the detriment of all involved.

Teaching unions have made it plain they will be supporting – and, in some instances, urging – their members not to return to their jobs in our primary schools next month.

It has only served to confirm what many already feared – that there is a thick red wedge in the profession that will seek to politicise this row over the interests of the nation’s children.

The Government wants Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils back behind their desks at the start of June.

The unions are resisting and claim it will put lives in jeopardy.

Most of our teachers are fantastic and go above and beyond on a regular basis. Sadly, they are often a child’s sole source of emotional comfort.

My criticism is not aimed at them, as they will be among those desperate to get back to work. They will have read that during the lockdown, 90% of vulnerable children have engaged in no education whatsoever.

They realise that for many of those youngsters, school is not just a place of learning – it is a sanctuary.

And they know the everincreasing gap in the primary education of these children increasingly has the potential to blight them for their whole lives.

Rather, my anger is directed at teachers who follow the disturbing line from the National Education Union, which has instructed its members not to “engage with planning a June 1” return.

It’s not even “talk about” or even “object to”. It’s a flat-out refusal to even join in. They use words like “shocking” and “reckless” and insist necessary safeguards are not being met. To teachers’ credit, for the last eight weeks schools have been open to allow key workers’ children to be educated and allow their parents to work. The unions say the children who may soon be allowed back will hug each other, cough and sneeze. Are we to believe key workers’ kids do none of these?

Our country is looking at £300billion of debt, enough to run the NHS for almost two years, and needs to get back to work. Teachers are caring people and I’ve no doubt many have been clapping for carers every Thursday night. Our carers have done their bit – it’s time for our teachers to learn now that it’s their turn.