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New NC Poll Shows Support For Slow Reopening Of Schools And Businesses

Desks in this elementary classroom are spaced for social distancing. KERI BROWN/WFDD

A new poll shows that most North Carolina residents believe schools should stick with online classes for the immediate future.

The Elon University poll shows that nearly three-quarters of respondents support public schools offering only online classes with the school year underway.

About one-quarter of the respondents said the timing of the state's reopening phases has been too slow, and that COVID-19 rules and regulations have been too restrictive.

The poll was conducted last week, but the results regarding the state's rules being too restrictive haven't changed much since a previous survey in June.

Jason Husser, who directed the poll, tells the News & Observer that those who believe that phased reopening has been too slow are quite fervent, but remain in the minority.

The poll comes as schools in the Triad are struggling to determine how best to schedule reentry into in-person classes.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

Neal Charnoff joined 88.5 WFDD as Morning Edition host in 2014. Raised in the Catskill region of upstate New York, he graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1983. Armed with a liberal arts degree, Neal was fully equipped to be a waiter. So he prolonged his arrested development bouncing around New York and L.A. until discovering that people enjoyed listening to his voice on the radio. After a few years doing overnight shifts at a local rock station, Neal spent most of his career at Vermont Public Radio. He began as host of a nightly jazz program, where he was proud to interview many of his idols, including Dave Brubeck and Sonny Rollins. Neal graduated to the news department, where he was the local host for NPR's All Things Considered for 14 years. In addition to news interviews and features, he originated and produced the Weekly Conversation On The Arts, as well as VPR Backstage, which profiled theater productions around the state. He contributed several stories to NPR, including coverage of a devastating ice storm. Neal now sees the value of that liberal arts degree, and approaches life with the knowledge that all subjects and all art forms are connected to each other. Neal and his wife Judy are enjoying exploring North Carolina and points south. They would both be happy to never experience a Vermont winter again.

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