Poll: Virginia parents have had enough of remote learning

Virginians were in agreement on the negative impacts of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new Commonwealth Poll conducted by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Seventy-nine percent of respondents feel that attending school remotely resulted in K-12 students falling behind, and 60 percent feel that attending school remotely had negative health impacts on school-age children.

If you want to know why Glenn Youngkin beat Terry McAuliffe two months ago, there you go.

“Our school’s poll results are not surprising. It might suggest the trend for the midterm elections this year. Education is and always has been at the top of voter concerns. Respondents indicate that parents want their schools open with proper safeguards. Virtual learning is seen as harmful overall to the students,”  former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder said.

Public school curriculum and critical race theory were also discussed throughout the gubernatorial campaign.

Over 70 percent of Virginians believe that public school curriculum should be developed by parents, teachers and members of school boards working collaboratively.

Three in four respondents, meanwhile, reported hearing about critical race theory. Over half of respondents (52 percent) do not think critical race theory is being taught in K-12 schools in Virginia, while 26 percent believed it is being taught as part of the approved curriculum, and an additional 22 percent didn’t know if it is being taught.

It’s not, so, at least half of us are getting that right.

When asked if critical race theory should be taught in K-12 public schools in Virginia, 40 percent of respondents said no, 28 percent said yes, and 30 percent reported that they did not have enough information to decide.

It’s more likely that the 40 percent who don’t want critical race theory taught in schools actually just don’t want properly contextualized history taught in schools.

For the full poll results and analysis, visit rampages.us/commonwealthpoll.

Story by Chris Graham