School mask, vaccine mandates supported in US: AP-NORC poll

By COLLIN BINKLEY and HANNAH FINGERHUT
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — A new poll finds that a majority of Americans support mask and vaccine mandates for students and teachers in K-12 schools. The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that about 6 in 10 Americans say masks and vaccines should be required in schools. But attitudes were sharply divided along political lines. Among Republicans, about 3 in 10 said they favor mask requirements for students and teachers. That’s compared with about 8 in 10 Democrats, with a similar split over vaccine requirements for teachers and eligible students. Masks have become a hotly contested topic as U.S. schools reopen amid surging numbers of coronavirus cases. Some states are mandating masks, while some have barred mask requirements.