Larry Newby is on the fence about the mayor’s plans to reopen schools.

"I don't know," he said. "It's still up in the air."

He said there needs to be a lot more safety measures in place before he even considers sending his son back to school.

"It has to be better. It has to be thought out more," he said. When asked if he wanted to see a better plan, he said, "Yeah, a way better one, because to me, all they want to do is take a chance."

Newby’s soon-to-be 10-year-old son is set to enter the fifth grade  He said he‘s concerned about him being around other children so he’s leaning towards distance-learning. 

"I mean, if they could get the kids to stay safe like the way they are saying, I will have no problem with it, but it’s going to be hard to keep kids his age, it’s going to be hard to make them keep their masks on, and it’s going to be hard to keep them away from each other because they’re going to want to play with each other" he said. "I think they should give it more thought. 

Many parents we spoke with had the same reaction. They are hesitant to send their children to school. 

"I’m not happy with that," said one parent. "Nah, I don’t like the plan. I’m very worried about it."

Iesha Jackson has a child in high school and one who is entering kindergarten. She said she is a bit more concerned about her daughter, who is going to be a junior in high school.

"I am a bit more concerned because our children have to leave school, and when they leave school, that’s when the adults are not around really paying attention and focusing on the children," Jackson said.

When asked if her daughter would have to travel, Jackson said, "She hast to get on public transportation and come home, and that’s where the danger is."

One woman said she’s willing to give the plan a chance, at least in the beginning. 

"I think it will allow parents to go back to work. I think it’s good for the kids to see their friends. I think that is just as important I think it’s part of their growth and part of how they develop as human beings," she said. I think we have to give it a shot, and I think we have to obviously put into plan and into practice the importance of social distancing measures."

The city said the decision to reopen is being based on data not hope. It’s asking parents to make a decision about remote learning by next Friday.