Seven in 10 American parents say it is too risky to send their kids back to school this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new poll.
An Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index poll released Tuesday indicates that most parents don’t feel safe sending their children back to a classroom.
Poll results indicate:
- 71% of parents say it is too risky for their kids to go back to school.
- 89% of Black parents say returning to school is a large or moderate risk.
- 80% of Hispanic parents say a return to the classroom is risky.
- 64% of white parents say they are worried about sending their kids back to school.
- 82% of Democrats say they think going back to school is risky.
- 53% of Republicans say they are concerned about sending their children back to school.
The Trump administration is pushing schools to reopen this fall. Both President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos have threatened to hold back federal funds from schools that don't reopen.
Some school districts already have announced they won’t reopen or will reopen on a modified, hybrid schedule that combines online learning with in-classroom teaching.
“Americans at this point, and parents more specifically, can't be force-fed policies that go against what they think," said Cliff Young, president of Ipsos U.S. Public Affairs. "You can't wish away or scare away a virus. And right now, they're not feeling safe in putting their children back in school."
Young said pushing for a return to school is risky for Trump and Republicans, especially as Election Day nears.
“There's political risks as well — serious political risks for Trump and Republicans,” he said. “Because even the Republican base sees a risk in putting kids back into the school in the fall."
The poll, conducted by Ipsos' KnowledgePanel, surveyed 1,063 adults, including 219 parents of kids under 18, between July 10-13. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
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