Reopening schools in fall despite COVID-19 is troubling for most Americans, poll finds
Most Americans are worried about sending children back to school during the COVID-19 pandemic, a poll found.
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll of 1,057 American adults found a majority are in favor of K-12 schools not reopening unless major safety adjustments are made. Very few support sending children back to school with minor or no adjustments.
Of those surveyed, 46% said “major adjustments” are needed to reopen schools safely while 31% said schools shouldn’t open for in-person instruction at all.
Eight percent said schools should reopen “as usual,” the poll found, and 14% think schools should reopen with only “minor adjustments.”
Views were similar on reopening colleges and day cares, the poll found.
Additionally, 56% said they are concerned reopening K-12 schools would cause a surge in coronavirus cases while 20% said they are not very or not at all concerned.
The survey was conducted July 16-20 through phone interviews. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points and included parents and non-parents.
Reopening schools has been a topic of much debate in the country as the upcoming academic year nears and districts across the country are in limbo, trying to decide the best course of action.
Some politicians have pushed for schools to reopen for in-person instruction, as has the American Academy of Pediatrics — citing the social, mental and emotional benefits for children. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos has threatened to withhold federal funding from schools that don’t reopen.
But some teachers are concerned a premature return could mean bringing the virus home to their families, restructuring lesson plans and extra expenses to accommodate social distancing, McClatchy News reported.
Partisan divide
The AP/NORC poll found a partisan divide on whether and how schools should reopen.
While 1% of Democrats surveyed said schools should reopen as normal, 17% of Republicans responded the same. Forty-four percent of Democrats and 14% of Republicans responded that schools shouldn’t reopen at all.
Among both parties, the most popular option — which 50% of Democrats and 43% of Republicans favored — was sending kids back to school with major adjustments.
President Donald Trump is among politicians eager to reopen schools, saying earlier this month that “everybody wants it” and “it’s time to do it,” McClatchy News reports.
But 63% of those surveyed disapprove of the way the president is handling education. He has support from Republicans surveyed, though, with 72% saying they approve. Eight percent of Democrats answered the same.
There was also a divide over concern about a surge in cases if schools reopen.
Of Democrats surveyed, 75% say they are extremely or very concerned and 5% say they are not very or not at all concerned. Meanwhile, 32% of Republicans say they are extremely or very concerned and 37% say they are not very or not at all concerned.
Coronavirus cases are already surging in much of the United States.
Along with health and safety concerns, the poll also found parents of K-12 students are concerned about their children falling behind academically or not having access to resources because of the pandemic.
Fifty-five percent of K-12 parents and guardians surveyed are worried about their child falling behind, 41% are concerned about being able to handle their other responsibilities, 29% about their children losing access to school meals, counseling or other services and 27% about finding child care.
The poll also asked about what steps are important to safely reopen schools.
A majority think daily disinfecting, face mask requirements, temperature checks and health screenings, social distancing and reducing the number of students in the building at once are “essential,” the poll found. But measures like eating lunch in the classroom instead of the cafeteria and canceling extracurricular activities received less support — with 46% and 39% considering them “essential,” respectively.
This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Reopening schools in fall despite COVID-19 is troubling for most Americans, poll finds."
