School survey: Nearly 70 percent oppose mask use

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A recent eight-question survey conducted by Perry County School District No. 32 shed light on the thoughts of parents and whether or not they feel safe sending their children to school and want their child or children wearing a mask.
More than 67 percent of the 771 responders felt either “very safe” (48.05 percent, 369 responses) or “safe” (18.4 percent, 149 responses) with no mask use.
In addition, more than 70 percent of District 32 respondents in a recent general survey felt "safe" or "very safe” sending children to school as part of the  “Pirates on Campus” program during the 2020-21 school year.
Of the 740 survey participants, there were 43.51 percent (322) who responded “very safe” about in-person schooling while another 30.14 percent (223 respondents) chose “safe.”
A combined 7.7 percent (4.59 percent answered "unsafe,” and 3.11 percent responded "very unsafe."
A total of 31 survey participants skipped the first question.

In the second question, of “How safe would you feel under the current community pandemic conditions to send your child(ren) to school with universal mask use required by a mask mandate?” less than half were in the safe category, at 44.58 percent (19.95 percent “very safe” and 24.63 percent “safe”). A combined 26.78 percent (200 respondents) went with “unsafe" (72, 9.64 percent) or "very unsafe" (128, 17.14 percent).
That response included better than 28 percent (214 responses, 28.65 percent) providing a "neutral" response.
The third question asked for thoughts on limited mask use (all individuals to be masked on buses, masking also when individuals are closer than three feet for more than 15 minutes). More than half of the respondents (51.07 percent, 382 individuals) responded with “very safe” (24.06 percent) or “safe” (27.01 percent). Better than one-fourth of respondents (a combined 27.41 percent) felt “unsafe” (11.9 percent, 89 individuals) or “very unsafe” (15.51 percent, 116 answers).
Better than three in four individuals (75.2 percent, 570 participants) said their students would remain in school even if the Board of Education reinstates and enforces a mask mandate.
In the final question, which sought individuals’ thoughts on whether or not masks should be worn if there was a confirmed case contact. nearly 61 percent (60.89 percent, 450 responses) didn’t want masks.
A total of 232 individuals responded to the “staff survey,” which was about 500 fewer than took part in the general survey.