School Reopening: Parents Wary But Support Opening Schools

ILLINOIS — Proceed with caution. That seems to be the consensus among most Illinois Patch readers when it comes to reopening schools this fall. Most of the nearly 8,600 readers who responded to the school reopening survey said it's time to reopen schools, but that masks should be required.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education have offered guidance based on plans to reopen schools for in-person learning in the fall, although the governor said Illinois could move backwards to previous phases of the Restore Illinois plan — prompting a return to e-learning — if coronavirus cases surge here.

But many parents were also wary about sending their kids back to in-person classes as coronavirus surges in other parts of the country, even as cases are on the decline in Illinois.

Nearly half — 46.9 percent — of those who responded said it's time for schools to reopen. But 37.6 percent said it's too soon, and 15.6 percent said they weren't sure whether schools should reopen.

The Great Mask Debate: How Illinois Residents Feel About Them

Meanwhile, echoing the sentiment of many readers who responded to a Patch survey last week, 65.2 percent said schools should require students to wear masks. Only 24.1 percent opposed requiring students to wear masks, and 10.7 percent weren't sure.

Opinion was divided as parents were asked, "Will you send your children back to school in the fall?" Nearly 43 percent said they will, but another 41.2 percent said it will depend on how coronavirus cases are trending in Illinois when school starts. Nearly 16 percent weren't sure yet.

As for how afraid they are of sending their kids back to school, the largest percentage — 27.9 percent — rated their fear at a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5, showing that many parents are anxious about the prospect of their children resuming classes amid the pandemic.

The next-largest group, 21.3 percent, rated their fear at a mere 1 out of 5. Just over 12 percent rated their fear at a 2; 20 percent rated it at a 3 and 18.2 percent rated it at a 4 out of 5.