Delayed School in Ontario

A survey published today by Maru/Blue Public Opinion Research North America finds that two-thirds (66%) of parents of Ontario school children believe that easing into classroom reopening’s over the next two months is preferable to a hard start.

The survey also found that parents are relatively split in the belief that janitorial staff have the resources and people they need to make the schools clean enough (53%), with a sizable minority who do not concur (47%).

Key Findings: 

• A full majority (66%) of Ontario parents who have school-aged children agree with the view that we should ease into this reopening of the schools—try some children going back in September and based on success start adding more in October until we get it right. This view is particularly held by seven in 10 (69%) elementary student parents and all parents combined in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), followed by two-thirds (63%) of secondary school parents.

• The survey also found that parents are relatively split on the belief that janitorial staff have the resources and people they need to make the schools clean enough—a slim majority (53%) hold this view versus a sizable minority (47%) who do not believe this is the case.

• Of those who believe janitorial staff have the resources and people they need to make the schools clean enough, secondary school parents (57%) and all parents combined in the GTA (59%) are most likely to believe this, but less so among elementary student parents (51% ).

• Of those who believe janitorial staff do not have the resources and people they need to make the schools clean enough (47%), elementary student parents (49% ) are most likely to feel this way, but less so among secondary school parents (43%) and all parents combined in the GTA (41%).