Yahoo/YouGov Poll: A Quick View of Results Related to Mask Wearing and to K12 Education

On July 16, 2020, Yahoo News and YouGov released results of this 159-page poll, conducted on a variety of issues of immediate public concern, including coronavirus, the economy, the direction of the country. Some backgroud on the survey, as reported by Yahoo News:

The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,504 U.S. adult residents interviewed online between July 11 and 14, 2020. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education, as well as 2016 presidential vote, registration status, geographic region and news interest. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S residents. The margin of error is approximately 3.2 percent.

Note that a margin of error of 3.2 percent means that the true value of a given finding for the entire population, based on this sample of 1,504 respondents, is likely “give or take 3.2 percent.” (With error larger for items with fewer than 1,504 respondents, though such increased error is not reported.)

Given the extent ot the survey, I have decided to offer overall survey responses for questions focused in two areas: Mask wearing and the return to K12 school during the pandemic.

Space limitations preclude my including response breakdowns according to gender, age, race, political party affiliation, 2020 presidential candidate vote intention (Biden or Trump), residency geography (city, suburb, town, rural), and income. In order to examine such breakdowns of responses, open the survey responses to the page number(s) of interest (which I provide below for each item) to view details.

And now, for the Yahoo News/ YouGov poll overall findings related to mask wearing and K12 education during coronavirus. Item wording and response choices are as they appear in the survey findings report. (Note that there may be some rounding error to percentage totals for  given item and that not all respondents have apparently answered all questions.)

• The U.S. is now reporting about 60,000 new coronavirus cases per day, more than ever before. What is the main reason for this? (1,475 respondents) (pages 110-11)
  • 66%: The virus is spreading more because people are taking fewer precautions.
  • 34%: The virus isn’t spreading more — we are finding more cases because we are testing more people.
• What do you think states with large numbers of new COVID-19 cases should do? Check all that apply. (1,504 respondents) (pages 112-13)
  • 46%: Issue a stay-at-home order.
  • 70%: Require masks to be worn in public places.
  • 59%: Close bars.
  • 50%: Close restaurants.
  • 51%: Close public schools.
  • 15%: None of the above.
• Which of the following things do you think President Trump should or should not be doing? Personally wear a face mask to set an example. (1,477 respondents) (page 119)
  • 73% Should be doing.
  • 16% Should not be doing.
  • 10% Not sure.
• Which of the following things do you think President Trump should or should not be doing? Encourage others to wear a face mask. (1,482 respondents) (page 120)
  • 75% Should be doing.
  • 13% Should not be doing.
  • 11% Not sure.
• Which of the following things do you think President Trump should or should not be doing? Pressure schools to reopen. (1,476 respondents) (page 123)
  • 25% Should be doing.
  • 63% Should not be doing.
  • 12% Not sure.
• Do you support or oppose a return to in-person schooling for children in places where there are large numbers of new COVID-19 cases? (1,468 respondents) (page 127)
  • 23%: Yes.
  • 52% No.
  • 25% Not sure.
• Given the current coronavirus situation in your community, should your local schools have in-person or online classes? (1,472 respondents) (pages 128-29)
  • 42% No in-person classes (all classes online).
  • 43%: A mixture of in-person and online classes.
  • 15%: All classes in-person.
• Do you have any children who will be in K-12 (kindergarten through 12th grade) in the fall? (1,478 respondents) (page 130)
  • 24%: Yes.
  • 76%: No. 
• Compared to attending in-person classes, do children learn more or less in online classes? (Among those who have children in grades K-12 this fall, 318 respondents.) (pages 131-32)
  • 7%: Learn more online.
  • 37%: About the same.
  • 47%: Learn less online.
  • 9%: Not sure.
• Do you have the technology necessary to ensure that all students in your household can access online classes — reliable high-speed internet, multiple computers, etc.? (Among those who have children in grades K-12 this fall, 312 respondents.) (page 133)
  • 73%: Yes.
  • 20%: No.
  • 6%: Not sure.
• Do you have the time and resources needed to supervise your children’s online learning experience? (Among those who have children in grades K-12 this fall, 314 respondents.) (page 134)
  • 55%: Yes.
  • 36%: No.
  • 9%: Not sure.
• How concerned are you that children are falling behind in school because of the pandemic? (Among those who have children in grades K-12 this fall, 316 respondents.) (pages 135-36)
  • 36%: Very concerned.
  • 35%: Somewhat concerned.
  • 18%: Not very concerned.
  • 9%: Not at all concerned.
  • 3%: Not sure.
• Which comes closer to your view: (1,460 respondents) (page 137-38)
  • 23%: America’s priority should be to fully reopen schools this fall, even if it increases the risk to public health.
  • 76%: American’s priority should be to limit the spread of the coronavirus, even if it means students can’t physically return to school this fall.
• Will you send your children to in-person classes this fall, if available? (Among those who have children in grades K-12 this fall, 315 respondents.) (page 139)
  • 39%: Yes.
  • 32%: No.
  • 29%: Not sure.
• CDC guidelines call for schools to stagger schedules, clean surfaces, ensure proper ventilation, spread out desks and provide isolation rooms for sick students. Do these guidelines seem: (1,480 respondents) (pages 140-41)
  • 9%: Too strict.
  • 51%: About right.
  • 28%: Not strict enough.
  • 12%: Not sure.
• Do you support cutting federal funding for schools that don’t fully reopen for in-person classes this fall? (1,478 respondents) (page 142)
  • 19%: Yes.
  • 62%: No.
  • 19%: Not sure.
• Do schools have the money and resources necessary to keep students and staff safe from the coronavirus this fall? (1,469 respondents) (page 143)
  • 17%: Yes.
  • 54%: No.
  • 29% Not sure.
• Would you support increased federal aid to public schools to keep students and staff safe from the coronavirus this fall? (1,474 respondents) (page 144)
  • 67%: Yes.
  • 16%: No.
  • 17%: Not sure.
• Why do you believe some officials do not yet support fully reopening schools? (1,462 respondents) (page 145)
  • 62%: Health reasons.
  • 38%: Political reasons.

Again, space limitations preclude my including response breakdowns according to gender, age, race, political party affiliation, 2020 presidential candidate vote intention (Biden or Trump), residency geography (city, suburb, town, rural), and income. In order to examine such breakdowns of responses, open the survey responses to the page number(s) of interest (which I provide below for each item) to view details.

Some of those breakdowns are fascinating, an education in and of themselves.

You might want to take a look.

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