(WBEN) - Sixty-two percent of New Yorkers say completely opening schools runs too great a risk of spreading the disease despite how hard not opening is on kids and families according to a poll from Siena Research.
Thirty-two percent say that we have to bring the children back to school and do our best to mitigate the risks, but a majority say colleges should only deliver remote education and not bring students back to campus for the fall semester.
Even though 62% say that completely reopening schools is too big a risk, people were more split when polled about various methods of reopening. See the full poll results HERE.
People were asked what plan they most support between opening schools for in person instruction for all students taking precautions including social distancing and masks, a hybrid model where class size is limited, or 100% remote instruction. None of the options received more than 50% support. Respondents with children in their household were more likely to favor in person instruction for all students than those with no children.
"Offered a middle ground, the hybrid model in which only some students come in each day, class size is limited and online instruction is part of the education process, one-third of New Yorkers support a hybrid approach," Siena Research Director, Don Levy said. "But even with the option of schools using a hybrid approach, 46 percent still support keeping the schools closed for now and providing remote instruction as best as teachers can to all students."
New Yorkers seem more certain about colleges, with 66% agreeing colleges should only deliver remote instruction and not bring students back to the campus, compared to 27% who believe it's safe to do so.
The poll also asked New Yorkers about their comfort level taking part in a number of different activities.
- Dining indoors: 58% would not be comfortable
- Having a drink at a bar: 72% would not be comfortable
- Going to the gym: 70% would not be comfortable
- Going to a movie theater: 73% would not be comfortable
