With reopening schools being a hotly debated topic and in-person learning essential for letting parents go to work this fall, WalletHub this week released a nationally representative School Reopening Survey, which found that 55 percent of parents want their children to learn in person. Below are highlights of the survey, along with a WalletHub Q&A.

• Some parents can’t stay home. Thirty-two percent of parents are not able to work remotely.

• Mixed feelings on teacher compensation. Almost one in four parents think that teachers who work remotely should either get paid less, work longer hours or give up vacation days.

• Fathers want schools to open more. Thirty-one percent more fathers than mothers want schools to reopen for in-person learning.

• Politics impact reopening opinions. Two-thirds of conservative parents favor schools reopening, versus less than half of liberal parents.

For the complete survey results, visit: https://wallethub.com/blog/school-reopening-survey/78092/

Back To School Q&A with WalletHub

Are parents able to supervise their kids while working from home if schools hold remote learning?

“A significant share of parents, 32 percent, cannot work remotely. If schools hold remote learning this fall, this may create a difficult situation where some parents will have to choose between leaving their children unsupervised, paying extra for childcare or taking a leave from work,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “Leaving children home alone might not be especially difficult for high schoolers, but is not an option for young kids.”

Do Americans think teachers who work remotely should be penalized?

“Almost one in four Americans think teachers who work remotely should be penalized by either getting paid less, working longer hours or giving up vacation time,” said Gonzalez. “It’s up to school districts and states, not teachers, whether schools reopen for in-person learning, so it makes sense that the vast majority of Americans don’t think teachers who work remotely should be treated any differently.”

Is there a difference between fathers and mothers when it comes to opinions on reopening schools?

“About 31 percent more fathers than mothers want schools to reopen for in-person learning this fall,” Gonzalez said. “The divide between fathers and mothers may be partially explained by the fact that women currently make up a smaller percentage of the workforce than men and have been losing their jobs at a greater rate than men during the COVID-19 pandemic. More women than men may be able to at least temporarily supervise children at home.”

How do conservatives and liberals differ in their opinions on in-person learning?

“Two-thirds of conservative parents want to have in-person learning this fall, compared to less than half of liberal parents,” said Gonzalez. “This political divide lines up with what we see among elected officials. The Trump Administration is highly in favor of reopening schools, while Democrats tend to support extending remote learning until we see further reductions in infections.”