Boris Johnson gets properly schooled after tweeting about GCSE results day

School child and Boris Johnson


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On 22 August, teenagers received the results of their GCSEs. So PM Boris Johnson marked the occasion by tweeting:

Although he might wish he hadn’t bothered after Twitter users educated him over everything that was wrong with his tweet.

Hard work or part of the elite?

Many people suggested that Johnson’s position was not really gained through “hard work and effort” but by being part of the elite:

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Other people pointed out that, in the case of Johnson, lying also helped:

The future? What future?

Meanwhile, other Twitter users reflected on what sort of future is on offer for children collecting their GCSE results:

Some people also pointed out that kids would be better off with some public services rather than just “good luck”:

Back to school

Johnson, however, is getting an opportunity to see what GCSEs are really like, as one 12-year-old has enrolled him for a geography GSCE.

Nico signed Johnson up for the GCSE because:

We just had the hottest July ever on record.

And because of Johnson’s 2015 comments that:

global warming was just a primitive fear without foundation.

Nico also pointed out that, despite promises to tackle the climate crisis, Johnson has “almost always voted against measures to prevent it”.

So speculating that Johnson’s lack of understanding comes from a lack of knowledge, Nico has enrolled him for a geography GSCE. The video ends with a call for everyone to join the climate strike on 20 September:

Kids deserve better

Under the Conservative-led government, there have been cuts of ÂŁ7bn to education since 2011. This has forced schools to cut essential services such as school counsellors, send begging letters to parents, and teach in leaky classrooms.

Meanwhile, austerity is stripping the country of public services and opportunities for young people. And this is all against the background of the climate crisis that the government appears to be wilfully ignoring.

Johnson tweeting that “nothing beats hard work” – when not only has the trajectory of his whole life been based on privilege, but he’s also been part of a government that has taken opportunities away from children – is disgraceful. Luckily, people weren’t fooled by his statement and schooled him with a healthy dose of reality.

Featured image via screengrab/Twitter

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