#Only half of parents and students embrace in-school mask use, NYC DOE survey finds

Only half of city parents and students said they were “very or mostly comfortable” with daily mask use in schools next year, according to a new Department of Education survey.

Just 48 percent of 110,000 student respondents in grades 6-12 said they fully supported the practice, according to the DOE poll.

Parents were also deeply split on the question. Of 300,00 respondents, 51 percent said they were “very or mostly comfortable” with the safety precaution with results varying by student age groups.

Just 43 percent of parents of children in grades pre-K-2 signaled acceptance of daily mask requirements. That number rose to 51 percent for grades 3-8 and 62 percent for grades 9-12.

The poll also revealed general ambivalence about a resumption of in-person schooling next year in light of coronavirus concerns.

According to the survey, 53 percent of parents were “very or mostly comfortable sending their child back to school, 24 percent were “a little comfortable” and 22 percent were “not at all comfortable.”

As for in-person learning and remote instruction, 48 percent of students preferred alternating days, 25 percent backed full-time distance learning, and 25 percent wanted alternating weeks.

The DOE will allow families who do not want to return to school buildings to learn exclusively remotely in the fall.

“For families that want to have an all-remote schedule next fall, we will be sending additional information in the coming weeks on how to register,” the DOE said. “Students will not need a medical reason to register for this option.”