Parents Overwhelmingly Want In-Person Classes: IL Patch Survey

ILLINOIS — With the pandemic hitting "warning" level in many parts of Illinois and new mitigations taking effect in some communities thanks to rising cases, one thing is for sure: In the time of coronavirus, there are no easy answers.

One of the toughest decisions was faced by school districts, who were tasked with the question: Should students go back to school as coronavirus continues to spread across Illinois?

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The answer for many school districts in the Chicago area was no, with most choosing to offer remote learning only as students headed back to class. In other parts of the state, however, most districts opted to fully reopen for in-person schooling.

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But despite the prevalence of remote learning in the Chicago area, most of the more than 1,000 parents who responded to Patch's survey Monday were clear: We want our kids in school.

Note: The survey was not meant to be a scientific poll, with random sampling and margins of error, but was meant only to gauge the sentiments of our readers in an informal way.

Despite the fact that nearly 70 percent of parents who responded said that their district is offering e-learning only, more than 65 percent of parents who were offered a choice by their district said they chose in-person learning.

Another 68.1 percent said they weren't given a choice but would have opted for in-person learning if they could have.

Opinion was split on whether parents approved of the decision — remote or in person — made by their district, with 28 percent saying they were "very unhappy" with how their children's school is handling learning in the time of coronavirus. But another 28 percent said they were "very happy" with the direction their district is taking.

Another 22.7 percent were "somewhat happy" with their district's stance, while 17 percent were "somewhat unhappy." Only about 4 percent weren't sure how they felt.

About 42 percent of those who responded said their district's decision had not affected their childcare needs, but those who are feeling the effects shared their struggles.

'Too much stress'

"It's been awful, work performance is suffering since we both work and have to try to get things done while entertaining and teaching the kids," one parent wrote. "They have no outlets available for their energy. So it's a mess."

Another parent wrote, "Working from home while trying to do e-learning is next to impossible," while another told of the financial hardship faced by some working parents. "This is so hard. I spend 1,200 a month on childcare 3 times a week," the parent wrote. "The rest of the time they are at work with me. I will never financially get ahead. I am hurt and disappointed in (our) political leaders."

Another person who responded cited "too much stress," but others were more positive. "It's nice having everyone together, working and taking classes from home," one parent wrote. "I’m working from home now so I love it," another said.

'The kids are miserable'

Another effect of the coronavirus pandemic is the toll it's taking on sports. Some fall sports, including football, boys soccer and girls volleyball, have been moved to the spring, and others are happening with strict guidelines or in a limited capacity.

Some parents who responded expressed frustration and worry about the physical and mental toll the lack of athletics is having on their kids.

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"Disaster," one wrote, while another said, "The kids are miserable."

One parent disagreed with the IHSA's decisions, saying, "IHSA should allow all sports to play. They need social interaction."

But others were on board with limiting or rescheduling sports. One said, "I don't think there should be any sports this year," while another commented, "It has made them safe. All that matters."

Others said there are other ways for kids to stay active.

"Sport seasons have been shifted however the opportunity for club sports has been a viable option," one parent wrote, but others acknowledged that playing without fans isn't quite the same.

"Luckily my son participates in Boys Cross Country," one parents said, "but he hates that there cannot be fans or parents at the meets to cheer them on and that he can't go to all meets to support his teammates."

Another parent acknowledged that there are no easy answers. "Kids' emotional health is greatly impacted by all of the changes they're forced to live by," the parent said. "There's no good option free of consequences, but a lot has been asked of them and it's sad."