Parental concerns about children’s safety in schools have increased over the past four years, topping 40 percent in the latest Gallup poll.
The survey, conducted before this week’s Minneapolis Catholic school church service shooting that killed two students and injured 17 others, showed 41 percent of U.S. parents are concerned for their student’s physical safety at school.
The past three years of readings have ranged from 38 percent to 44 percent, above the long-term average of 34 percent since 1998.
Before the current four-year stretch, the last time concern was this high was in March 2001 at 45 percent after two were shot and 13 were injured in a California school.
The fear has increased across all subgroups, including political, gender, household income, school grade level and region in the country.
“History shows that major school shootings often drive temporary spikes in parental fear. Given the timing of the latest poll, before the tragic incident in Minneapolis, these findings may understate current levels of anxiety among parents nationwide,” Gallup wrote.
In 2024, there were between 40 to 140 school shootings in the U.S., with difference sources defining the incidents differently, as some go off a specific number injured while others count any gun shot on school grounds.
Education Week found nearly 50 people were killed or injured in school shootings in 2024.
