Poll: 1 in 5 teachers unlikely to return to school if classrooms reopen this fall

One in five teachers in the United States say they are unlikely to return to in-person instruction if schools reopen in the fall, a USA Today–Ipsos poll revealed Tuesday.

The survey found 25% of teachers 55 and older say they are unlikely to return for in-person classes, hinting at the possibility of a massive wave of resignations. Close to two-thirds of teachers claimed they haven’t been able to conduct their jobs properly amid the disruption from the covid-19 pandemic.

Interesting Read——-
Back to school? 1 in 5 teachers are unlikely to return to reopened classrooms this fall, poll says
Link: https://t.co/k8Q9aC0an2 pic.twitter.com/eSaCf2tpsX

— Steve Seward (@sewardstephen) May 27, 2020

The poll found 83% of teachers say they’re having a harder time doing their job, and about 66% of them say they’ve had to work more than usual.

The poll surveyed 505 teachers from kindergarten through high school.

“As our world has changed, almost everything we do has changed, including how we view and approach education,” Ipsos president Chris Young said.

A parallel poll of 403 parents with at least one child in grades K-12 found 30% say they are “very likely” to explore alternative options such as at-home learning instead of sending their child back to school.

Meanwhile, a “significant share” of teachers and parents polled — about 40% — said they’re against returning to classrooms before a coronavirus vaccine is discovered, USA Today reported.

“Having to be 6 feet apart is difficult for adults, and it’s even more difficult for kids,” Pittsburgh elementary school teacher Andrea Rodriquez, 23, told the newspaper.