More K-12 parents lean toward mask mandates than oppose them: Gallup

More K-12 parents support mask mandates in schools than oppose them, but support for mask mandates fails to reach a majority level, according to a new Gallup poll.

The poll shows 48 percent of parents believe students should have to wear masks regardless of vaccination status, while 41 percent say no student should have to wear a mask.

Only 11 percent of K-12 parents believe only unvaccinated students should have to wear masks.

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask while indoors.

Mask mandates in schools have led to numerous fights across states and in courts, with some parents battling against Republican governors who have banned mask mandates and some Democratic governors who have required masks in all schools regardless of vaccination status.

Mask mandates for teachers and staff also fail to reach a majority of support among parents.

The poll shows 48 percent of parents believe teachers and staff members should have to wear a mask and 38 percent say there should be no mask mandate for teachers.

Mask mandates for only unvaccinated teachers are supported among 13 percent of parents. 

The poll shows vaccinations have risen in those above the age of 16 and above the age of 12 in the last month.

The poll comes as delta variant cases have caused spikes in states around the country and many students have had to quarantine after the first week of classes due to exposure to the virus.

However, it is shown that children have a lower death and hospitalization rate than other age groups from the virus.

K-12 parents were shown to be less concerned about people choosing not to get vaccinated than the general public, with 51 percent of parents and 60 percent of the general public worried about individuals not getting vaccinated.

The poll shows 48 percent of parents are not worried and 37 percent are “not worried at all” about people in their area not getting the vaccine.

The poll was conducted Aug. 16-22, with 674 parents surveyed. The margin of error is 5 percentage points.