LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- While two-thirds of parents are worried about sending their students back to school this fall, pediatricians are pushing to get kids back in the classroom.
A majority of parents surveyed said they know their kids would get a better education at school, but worried about safety.
Among nearly 1,200 parents in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio who were surveyed by the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, more than 60% want fewer kids on buses and staggered arrival and departure times if schools do return to in-person classes this fall.
The survey also found that parents from low-income households and minority backgrounds were "less likely to report that they plan to send their children to school," which CHEAR said raises concerns about the possibility of "educational disruption among less advantaged students."
Doctors, meanwhile, say getting students back in the classroom is the goal for the fall.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently put out its guidance for going to school while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. It strongly advocates for resuming in-person classes, citing evidence of negative effects on children as a result of schools closing in the spring.
Doctors with the academy issued six principles for school leaders to consider before reopening. Those include being flexible in responding to new information and accommodating disadvantaged students.
"Lengthy time away from school and associated interruption of supportive services often results in social isolation, making it difficult for schools to identify and address important learning deficits as well as child and adolescent physical or sexual abuse, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal ideation," the academy wrote.
The academy said that puts students at a "considerable risk of morbidity and, in some cases, mortality." They also cite the negative impact on food security and physical activity for students and their families.
To read the full report from the academy, click here.
To read the CHEAR study, click here.
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