February 24, 2011 - Base Teacher Firings On Merit, New Yorkers Say 7-1, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Voters Like Teachers But Not Their Unions Word format If school systems must lay off teachers, the layoffs should be based on performance, not seniority, New York State voters say 85 - 12 percent in a Quinnipiac University poll released today. Support for performance-based layoffs is strong among all groups, including 75 - 20 percent among voters in households with a union member, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN- uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. Voters with children in public school back performance-based layoffs 90 - 7 percent. By a 50 - 22 percent margin, New York State voters have a favorable opinion of public school teachers, with 25 percent who haven't heard enough about them to form an opinion. Parents of public school students have a 60 - 22 percent favorable opinion. But voters say 51 - 39 percent that teachers' unions play a negative rather than a positive role in improving the state's educational system. Public school parents say 56 - 37 percent that teachers' unions play a negative role while voters in union households say 50 - 44 percent that teachers' unions play a positive role. "By a huge majority, voters from every group oppose LIFO - last-in-first-out," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Voters, especially voters with kids in public school, want to keep the best teachers on the job, and to heck with seniority. "All those ads by the teachers' union may not be working exactly as planned: New Yorkers like the people who teach their kids, but they don't like the union that placed the ads." "And voters reject by almost 2-1 margins some fundamental pillars of teacher contracts: They support 64 - 33 percent merit pay for outstanding teachers and they say 62 - 33 percent it should be easier to fire bad teachers," Carroll added. A total of 63 percent of New York State voters are "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" that Albany's focus on the state budget deficit might prevent passage of ethics reform legislation. This concern is shared by all groups in all areas of the state. Similarly, a total of 56 percent of voters are "very concerned" of "somewhat concerned" that focus on the state budget might prevent passage of non-partisan redistricting legislation. Again concern is shared by all groups and regions. "Will focus on the budget imperil the chances of changes in ethics rules? Voters are worried," Carroll said. "They're worried, too, about the chances of non-partisan legislative and congressional re-districting." Same-Sex Marriage New York State voters support 54 - 39 percent legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry. This compares to 56 - 37 percent support in a January 27 Quinnipiac University poll. In today's survey, same-sex marriage wins 68 - 23 percent support among Democrats and 56 - 38 percent support among independent voters. Republicans oppose the measure 65 - 31 percent. The measure wins support among upstate, suburban and New York City voters by similar margins. Men support it 52 - 43 percent while women support it 56 - 35 percent. Support for same-sex marriage is: 62 - 35 percent among voters 18 to 34 years old; 64 - 29 percent among voters 35 to 49 years old; 52 - 42 percent among voters 50 to 64 years old; Voters over 65 are opposed 48 - 42 percent. "Everyone supports same-sex marriage, except Republicans and senior citizens," Carroll said. From February 15 - 21, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,457 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research. For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 27. How concerned are you that the state government's focus on the budget deficit might prevent passage of ethics reform legislation? Very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Very concerned 19% 15% 20% 21% 20% 19% 22% Smwht concerned 44 42 46 44 39 49 44 Not too concerned 20 23 18 21 25 15 20 Not at all concerned 10 13 10 9 12 8 10 DK/NA 6 7 7 5 5 8 3 28. How concerned are you that the state government's focus on the budget deficit might prevent passage of non-partisan redistricting legislation? Very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Very concerned 17% 15% 16% 16% 19% 15% 20% Smwht concerned 39 38 41 38 36 41 35 Not too concerned 23 19 24 24 23 22 24 Not at all concerned 15 23 11 14 17 13 17 DK/NA 7 5 8 8 5 9 4 29. Is your opinion of New York State's public school teachers favorable, unfavorable, or haven't you heard enough about them? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Favorable 50% 42% 57% 51% 50% 50% 60% Unfavorable 22 32 16 20 27 18 18 Hvn't hrd enough 25 24 25 26 21 28 19 REFUSED 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 HvKids UpStat NYC Sub PubSch Favorable 50% 51% 49% 60% Unfavorable 23 20 25 22 Hvn't hrd enough 25 25 24 16 REFUSED 2 4 2 2 30. Generally speaking, do you believe the teachers' unions are playing a positive or a negative role in improving New York State's educational system? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Positive 39% 24% 55% 33% 38% 41% 50% Negative 51 71 34 56 57 46 44 DK/NA 10 6 11 10 5 13 7 HvKids UpStat NYC Sub PubSch Positive 33% 50% 34% 37% Negative 57 38 61 56 DK/NA 10 12 5 7 TREND: Generally speaking, do you believe the teachers' unions are playing a positive or a negative role in improving New York State's educational system? Feb 24 Apr 15 2011 2004 Positive 39 48 Negative 51 35 DK/NA 10 17 31. Some people say that public school teachers who do an outstanding job should be rewarded with additional pay - so called merit pay. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Good idea 64% 63% 64% 65% 68% 61% 62% Bad idea 33 35 33 33 30 36 37 DK/NA 3 3 4 2 2 3 2 HvKids UpStat NYC Sub PubSch Good idea 60% 69% 64% 64% Bad idea 38 28 32 34 DK/NA 2 3 4 2 32. Some people have suggested that firing public school teachers should be made easier. Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Good idea 62% 73% 51% 68% 64% 60% 57% Bad idea 33 25 43 29 33 34 38 DK/NA 5 2 5 4 3 6 5 HvKids UpStat NYC Sub PubSch Good idea 67% 53% 70% 69% Bad idea 28 43 27 27 DK/NA 5 4 4 4 33. If public school administrators need to lay off teachers, do you think they should lay off teachers based on their performance or based on seniority? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Seniority 12% 11% 14% 9% 14% 10% 20% Performance 85 85 81 88 84 86 75 DK/NA 4 3 5 3 3 5 5 HvKids UpStat NYC Sub PubSch Seniority 13% 11% 11% 7% Performance 85 85 83 90 DK/NA 2 4 5 3 34. Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married? Union Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom HsHolds Support 54% 31% 68% 56% 52% 56% 56% Oppose 39 65 23 38 43 35 37 DK/NA 7 4 9 6 5 9 7 UpStat NYC Sub 18-34 35-49 50-64 65+ Support 53% 53% 57% 62% 64% 52% 42% Oppose 41 38 37 35 29 42 48 DK/NA 6 8 6 3 7 7 10 TREND: Would you support or oppose a law that would allow same-sex couples to get married? Feb 24 Jan 27 Dec 16 Jun 23 May 14 Apr 15 2011 2011 2009 2009 2009 2004 Support 54 56 47 51 46 37 Oppose 39 37 46 41 46 55 DK/NA 7 7 7 8 8 8
