Poll Finds Many Teachers and Students May Not Return to Schools Even as They Reopen
Teachers and students may be hesitant to return to their reopened schools this fall, according to a USA TODAY/Ipsos poll. One in five teachers said they are unlikely to go back to school even if their classrooms reopen, and six in 10 parents said they would be likely to pursue at-home learning options instead of traditional schooling.
The USA TODAY/Ipsos poll surveyed 505 teachers of kindergarten through high school and 403 parents of a K-12 child through online polls between May 18 and May 21.
A majority of the teachers surveyed said that they are currently working harder and with more difficulties. Two-thirds said that they haven't been able to do their job properly since remote teaching began.
Three-fourths of the teachers surveyed said that their students are falling behind due to the distance learning model. Half of them said they are "very" worried about their students right now.
Despite the difficulties, many parents and teachers — around four in 10 — oppose returning to traditional schooling before there is a vaccine for coronavirus.