Very few Americans back full school reopening

Many of the nation's largest school districts have announced that they'll be entirely virtual in the fall or use a hybrid model that has children in classrooms only a couple of days a week. The poll finds only 8 per cent of Americans say K-12 schools should open for normal in-person instruction.

Virtual instruction. Mandated masks. Physical distancing. The start of school will look very different this year because of the coronavirus — and that's OK with the vast majority of Americans. Only about 1 in 10 Americans think daycare centers, preschools or K-12 schools should open this fall without restrictions, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs. Most think mask requirements and other safety measures are necessary to restart in-person instruction, and roughly 3 in 10 say that teaching kids in classrooms shouldn't happen at all.

The findings are a sharp contrast to the picture that President Donald Trump paints as he pressures schools to reopen. The Republican president claims to have wide support for a full reopening, arguing that Democrats oppose it for political reasons. Few schools, however, plan to return to business as usual. Many of the nation's largest school districts have announced that they'll be entirely virtual in the fall or use a hybrid model that has children in classrooms only a couple of days a week.

The poll finds only 8 per cent of Americans say K-12 schools should open for normal in-person instruction. Just 14 per cent think they can reopen with minor adjustments, while 46% think major adjustments are needed. Another 31 per cent think instruction should not be in person this fall. It's little different among the parents of school-age children. The poll also shows Americans feel the same about colleges and universities reopening this fall.