29% of Republicans — almost three out of every ten — believe thatÂ school boards should be able to fire teachers simply for being gay. 20% of Independents and 16% of Democrats agree,Â according to a vast newÂ Pew Research Center Values Study. Overall, 21% of Americans stillÂ believe thatÂ school boards should be able to fire teachers simply for being gay.

The Pew study also found that more than one in three white Evangelical Protestants believe school boards should be able to fire teachers simply for being gay. 37% ofÂ white Evangelical Protestants, along with 17% ofÂ white mainline Protestants, and 15% of white Catholics all agreed.

Other demographic breakdowns:

24% of men and 19% of womenÂ believe thatÂ school boards should be able to fire teachers simply for being gay.

30% of those 65 and older and 23% of those 50 – 64 believe thatÂ school boards should be able to fire teachers simply for being gay.

27% of Hispanics, 24% of Blacks, and 20% of whitesÂ believe thatÂ school boards should be able to fire teachers simply for being gay.

31% of those with a high school diploma or lessÂ believe thatÂ school boards should be able to fire teachers simply for being gay.

One the positive side, those numbers are about half of what they were a quarter-century ago.