According to a new Fox News Poll, over half of registered voters would support a law that bans teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with students before fourth grade.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Parental Rights in Education” bill (referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by detractors) into law in March.
The law bans public school teachers from giving gender identity or sexual orientation instruction to students in kindergarten through third grade.
The poll shows that 55% of registered voters would support a similar law in their state, while 41% would oppose it.
“Voters support the notion that these sorts of issues shouldn’t be part of school curriculum for younger students,” said Republican pollster Daron Shaw.
He, along with Democrat Chris Anderson, conducted the Fox News poll. “This attitude undoubtedly says more about the timing and source of these sensitive discussions than it does about general opinions towards transgender people,” Shaw said.
The poll showed support for the measure, includes majorities of Hispanic voters (60%), white voters (56%), voters under age 35 (54%), independents (52%), Catholics (60%), parents (58%), rural whites (55%), and Republicans (72%).
Additionally, more dads (68% favor) than moms (49%) and more men (60% favor) than women (50%) favor the legislation.
Poll shows voters concerned about inflation, economy
The poll also showed that while many voters are concerned about the possibility of book banning and what is taught in schools, they are more concerned with other issues.
The poll shows voters are more worried about the future of the American democracy (84%), higher crime rates (79%), the future of the economy and inflation (87%), political divisions within the U.S. (81%), opioid addiction (72%), abortion policy (69%), Ukraine (80%), illegal immigration (71%), gun laws (73%), climate change (57%) and coronavirus (55%).
Voters also increasingly believe the coronavirus pandemic is under control, with 86% saying it is “somewhat” under control, up from 59% at the high point of the Omicron strain in January.
Fewer voters see a need to continue mask mandates during travel and school.
Sixty-two percent of voters say it’s time to remove mask mandates in schools. The percentage is a 12-point shift from February when 50% of respondents said the same. The shift is driven by Democrats (+19), parents (+20), Black voters (+16), and Hispanic voters (+18).
While some voters are resistant to mask removal for travel (51% favor removal, with 45% favoring keeping it), which is a stark reversal from February when more wanted to keep masks on public transportation by 39% to 58%.
With crises mounting, the coronavirus remains President Joe Biden’s only positive job approval rating, by only 2%. On other issues, Biden’s poll numbers on all other issues are dismal, including: inflation (-39), Ukraine (-6), guns (-23), Russia (-16), climate change (-12), the economy (-25), immigration (-29) and crime (-26). The president’s overall job approval rating is 45%, with 53% disapproving.
The poll was conducted between April 28-May 1 and contained interviews with 1,003 randomly selected registered voters. The poll sampling has a margin of error of minus or plus three percentage points.
