ALBANY — As COVID-19 transmission rates plunge, nearly three out of five New Yorker voters want the state to proceed cautiously before the controversial school mask mandate is lifted, the Siena College Poll reported Tuesday.

The survey found that 30% of voters would end the mandate immediately, while 10% would like to wait for a decision to be made when new data is released after children return to classrooms next Monday following the winter break. Fifty-eight percent said the state should wait until early March before deciding.

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Lawsuits, disruptions

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Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration is facing lawsuits both in state and federal courts from opponents of the school mask mandate. In some New York school districts, there have been disruptions over the mandate, ignited by both students and parents who say the requirement violates the rights of those subjected to the rule.

A state appellate judge has determined the mandate must stay in place while the court case is being litigated.

More than 50 school superintendents from Western New York have also urged state officials to convert the mask-wearing requirement to an option.

If it were up to Niagara City Schools Superintendent Mark Laurrie, the state would let the districts decide the matter themselves.

“After we return next week, I think it’s high time to make masking a local decision,” Laurrie told CNHI.

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“Have to move on”

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Laurrie noted that when masks were optional for students during a six-week summer session last year, only one COVID-19 infection was reported among the children and about 70% of the children wore masks even though having a face covering was not required.

“We have to move on from this,” the superintendent said. “The benefit from keeping a mask on is certainly not worth it any longer versus the benefit from seeing a child’s expression, seeing a teacher’s expression.”

Hochul, a Democrat, is expected to review the matter next week.

“After we have kids tested, we are going to make an assessment that first week in March,” she said Feb. 9. That was the day Hochul scrapped a mask mandate for businesses and local governments.

The state School Boards Association has stayed on the sidelines, as some of its members push to relax the mandate and others are content to let the state make the determination on when the mandate should be rescinded.

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Share metrics

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Robert Lowry, deputy director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, said his group has urged state officials to make available the metrics that would be used to decide whether the mask mandate should be kept in place.

“We think metrics make sense because it should give credibility to the state’s decisions and also give everyone some benchmarks to keep an eye on, with the recognition we could have another surge and may need to make some changes to deal with that,” Lowry said.

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Bail reform

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The poll also measured sentiment on changes to the bail law that have blocked judges from considering potential danger posed by defendants before deciding whether they should be released to the community following arrests for numerous crimes.

Siena reported 65% of voters signaled judges should have more discretion in bail matters. The poll found young adults favor amending the law by 12 points, while Latino voters hope to see amendments by seven points and Black voters by four points.

Hochul has sought to distance herself from the bail controversy, saying she expects the Legislature will decide whether to amend the law now on the books.

Across every demographic group, a majority of voters told the Siena poll that they view crime as a very serious problem in New York.

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Dem primary

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The poll indicated Hochul has the backing of 46% of Democratic voters, while rivals Jumaane Williams, the New York City public advocate, and Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-Long Island, are supported by 17% and 9% respectively. More than 25% of Democrats remain undecided.

Of the GOP gubernatorial slate, the Siena poll did not include hypothetical matchups of the candidates. It found that Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-Long Island, who has the support of most of the party’s county organizations, has a favorability rating of 27% positive and 16% unfavorable. Andrew Giuliani was rated 47% favorable and 28% unfavorable, while former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino came in at 27% favorable, 13% unfavorable.

The poll results are based on a survey of 803 registered voters, with the three-day survey wrapping up last Thursday.