"We have heard from all sides throughout the pandemic about their feelings regarding masking and the quarantine.". Doctors warn ending school mask mandates will lead to rise in COVID MASK AND EXCLUSION POLICIES. COVID vaccine: Hundreds of Peoria teachers, staff haven't taken COVID vaccine, district says. Pritzker's actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and will appeal this decision in the Illinois Appellate Court for the 4th District in Springfield," said Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Pritzker on Monday encouraged those districts to continue, Ruling on Illinois School Mask Mandate Lawsuit NBC Chicago, Ruling on Illinois School Mask Mandate Lawsuit: What to Know So Far A downstate Illinois judge made a ruling late last week that effectively prohibits a statewide mask requirement in schools, sparking plenty of confusion from school districts across the state. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Some said they will continue to strongly encourage their use, others that these are decisions that should be made at home, like the Superintendent of Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst. Pritzker issued an executive order Aug. 26requiring masks in Illinois schools for teachers, students, staff and visitors. Some Rockford-area have decided to keep their existing mask rules in place, while others are modifying or lifting them for the time being. Parents filed suit against more than 140 school districts, Gov. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- A downstate judge has granted a temporary restraining order in favor of a group that sued to end COVID-19 mask mandates in Illinois public school districts.. For one thing, what she issued was only a temporary restraining order, expecting a final decision later. The legislation remains the subject of advocacy and outrage in parent Facebook groups against masking in schools. Mask-less Chicago Public Schools students sent home, but CPS CEO Pedro Also going "mask optional" are large suburban public school districts across the area, including those in Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Arlington Heights, Barrington and Wheaton, where Shannon Limjuco has two elementary school grade children. Local school districts react to Illinois' temporary restraining order Justices Thomas Harris and Lisa Holder White concurred in most parts. "We're seeing it in so many places, tens of thousands of schools across the country, have been mask optional all year long.". Attorney Thomas DeVore argued a case Monday in Springfield on behalf of dozens of school staff challenging vaccine and mask mandates in schools as a violation of due process. Illinois schools put on probation over COVID mask mandate | Belleville However, the more contagious Delta variant currently spreading has proven to infect children at higher rates that previous strains of COVID, and children with COVID have ended up hospitalized more frequently in recent weeks than at any time since the outbreak began. In granting them a temporary restraining order, Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene DeWitte Grischow said the mandates violate the plaintiffs' "due process rights under the law which provide them a meaningful opportunity to object to any such mitigations.". I know there was a lot of discussion going on outside of the school walls. What to know about the ruling on Illinois school mask mandate lawsuit Part of the parents lawsuit argues that only local health departments have the authority to issue mask and quarantine orders under state statute. 2 in September. Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow heard oral arguments in the case earlier this month prior to granting the temporary restraining order. And we will stand with our local unions to protect our members and the students they serve. The Illinois Supreme Court granted Gov. Since the TRO was issued, most local and area school districts, including Springfield District 186, Ball-Chatham and Rochester, have "encouraged" or recommended wearing of masks. "It's time for kids out of masks. Parents from eight Peoria-area school districts are participating in a lawsuit aimed at abolishing mask requirements in schools. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. J.B. Pritzker's move came hours after the Illinois Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal of a decision in a lawsuit challenging Pritzker's mask mandate. The outcome of the lawsuit will impact school districts across the state, including in Central Illinois. In part, the order said the students named in the case cant be excluded from in-person learning without consent or a quarantine order from the health department. McHenry County school districts named in the suit include Algonquin-based School District 300, Crystal Lake School District 47, Crystal Lake District 155, Cary School District 26, Huntley School District 158, McHenry School District 15 and Woodstock School District 200. What exactly happened with the ruling? The complaint points to a bill pending in the General Assembly that would compel school districts to follow Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois State Board of Education guidelines during public health emergencies, and forbid them to adopt policies contrary to state guidelines. Some exceptions to the order apply. The lawsuit begins with laying out current COVID-19 statistics in Illinois, including a calculation that the survival rate for children and young adults up to age 20 who contract the virus is 99.9973%, citing 20 COVID deaths in that cohort in Illinois since the pandemic began. Only children 12 and over are currently eligible for COVID vaccines. In Schaumburg's District 54, masks in school are now optional. After a downstate judge ruled against Pritzker's school mask mandate, suburban parents lashed out at school boards who chose to continue to require masks in schools. Illinois appeals court's order on school mask, vaccine mandates This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. DeVore is behind that and almost ten other similar cases. This decision sends the message that all students do not have the same right to safely access schools and classrooms in Illinois, particularly if they have disabilities or other health concerns, Raoul said in a statement. CCDPH Mitigation Order 2021-10 was issued on August 23, 2021 and requires individuals age 2 and older to wear masks in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status. The judge filed a temporary restraining order against Bond CountyCommunity UnitSchool DistrictNo. 20. Early in July, the Centers for Disease Control released guidance for schools, which only recommended masks for unvaccinated individuals. The group of parents released a statement on Oct. 25, 2021, through attorney Thomas DeVore regarding the lawsuit. All rights reserved, A downstate Illinois judge issued a ruling declaring Gov. MACOUPIN CO., Ill. (WCIA)- A long list of parents filed a lawsuit against 145 school districts in Illinois Wednesday. Illinois has about 850 districts Tony Sanders said in a letter to parents. . For children in primary schools, health advice is that under 11s are exempt from wearing face coverings in national guidance ? Chicago-area school districts are relaxing their COVID-19 policies or revealing they plan to stay the course in the wake of an Illinois judge's decision to temporarily prevent Gov. If such overreach is allowed to stand, the separation of powers will have been reduced to ashes and the executive will be allowed to disregard the legislature and create law, rules and regulations at his or her pleasure, the suit said. An Illinois appellate court late Thursday evening dismissed Gov. Pritzker to end school mask mandate on Monday after CDC eases The superintendent of District 122 in Metamora said they were aware of the lawsuit, but not in any official capacity. Administration spokesperson Jordan Abudayyehsaid the governor was "concerned for the health of those in schoolsparticularly vulnerable children and adultsand the ability to continue in-person learning. JB Pritzkers mandate requiring all students, faculty and staff at Illinois schools wear masks in the face of the coronavirus more contagious Delta variant spreading across the state. "This is what the overwhelming majority of Chicago parents and families support.". A judge in downstate Sangamon County granted a temporary restraining order Friday effectively prohibiting mask requirements for students in numerous school districts across the state. "More than 700 Illinois parents brought legal action on behalf of their children, carrying out their parental duty to protect their children, and, indeed, all children of this State, from further transgressions by the executive branch of government," part of the statement read. J.B. Pritzkers emergency rules for COVID-19 mitigations in schools null and void, effectively stopping the states mask mandate in school buildings. -Schaumburg District 54: Masks not require, - St. Charles CUSD 303: Masks suggested but not required, -Orland School District 135: Masks not required, -Wheaton School District 200: Masks recommended but not required, -Plainfield District 202: Masks recommended but not required, -Lisle District 202- Continuing mask mandate, will make final decision after survey of parents, -Algonquin District 300- Open Tuesday, continuing mask mandate, The Archdiocese of Chicago sent a letter to parents and students Saturday that said they are "closely monitoring the case.". in all settings, including education. The 11-county complaint names 140 school districts, Gov. It is not the children you care about.Im not sure who you represent but it is not us, said another parent.The parents from District 203 read from the temporary restraining order. Despite the IEMAAs silence on school districts, DeVores suit points to the legislatures creation of the Illinois School Code and the invention of local school districts themselves as evidence enough that local school boards are the only entity with the authority to adopt and enforce all necessary rules for the management and governance of the public schools of their district.. It was later moved to Grischow's courtroom in Sangamon County. It is not the children you care about.". (AS TO ALL PLAINTIFFS, IDPH AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS) 11. mopeyjoe 1 yr. ago. First Lawsuit Filed Over Pritzker's School Mask Mandate Lawsuit seeks to block mask mandates, exclusion rules . Parents from 145 Illinois school districts filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against their respective districts, Gov. One can only presume Pritzker is dissatisfied the legislature chose not to empower IDPH and ISBE with this authority, so he took it upon himself to pilfer the power of the legislature and for all intents and purposes made HB 2789 a law on his own, the suit said. A group of Wheaton parents gathered to protest outside District 200's headquarters Monday, demanding school administrators walk back its mask optional policy change. "Naperville made a decision per the guidance of health departments, to continue the requirement of masking in schools, buses, after school activities, with the exception of the named parties in the lawsuit," said Superintendent Dan Bridges. ""We remain committed to defending Gov. The school district appealed, and the Fifth District Appellate Court said the restraining order had to be vacated because the lawsuit didnt name Governor J.B. Pritzer, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health as defendants, in addition to the school district. Local The ruling announced Friday afternoon states defendants are temporarily restrained from, Read the Full Text: Judge's Ruling Halts Illinois School Mask , Read the Full Text: Judges Ruling Halts Illinois School Mask Mandate Published February 5, 2022 Updated on February 5, 2022 at 6:54 pm NBC Universal, Inc. A downstate Illinois judge issued a ruling declaring Gov. Rock Island-Milan School District to begin COVID-19 testing for students and staff, Pritzker announces paid COVID leave for vaccinated IL school employees, 'People are burnt out': Staff shortages at IL schools have teachers stretched thin. ", Governor JB Pritzker spoke about the ruling Monday morning at a press conference on preventing expressway shootings. That, Craven said, would essentially be asking the Supreme Court to tell the appellate court to decide the case and would be on a faster track. The complaint, filed in local district court, alleges Pritzker overstepped his authority in signing an executive order last week mandating masks in all preschools, elementary and secondary schools in Illinois. List of Schools with Masks Optional - 1340 WJOL Cary School District 26 has about 2,400 students. The administration is working with (Attorney General Kwame Raoul)to request an expedited review of this decision from the (Illinois) Supreme Court. A ruling on the order blocking the mask mandate in some schools could come as soon as Thursday The Illinois Association of School Administrators on Friday said about 700 districts it has. Well over 100 school districts in Illinois were sued in the lawsuit. Neither Pritzkers office, nor the ISBE, immediately returned messages seeking comment. There are exceptions. They must also have due process. Don Craven, a Springfield attorney and president of the Illinois Press Association, said he understood why the appellate court reached its decision. They added he's done this without any public discourse and the parents claim the people's rights rights under due process under the law were, "shredded at every turn.". -Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills School District 181- Open Tuesday. J.B. Pritzker's emergency rules for COVID-19 mitigations in schools "null and void," effectively stopping the state's mask mandate in school buildings. As school districts across the state begin to interpret the order, different actions are being taken. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. It was denied Class Action status. Some Illinois parents are urging their kids to go to school without a mask today to protest Gov. "We expect the mayor and CPS to act responsibly and uphold our agreement to require masks providing KN95 masks for every adult and child in our schools," CTU said in a statement. The latest lawsuit was filed in Macoupin County. Oswego Community Unit School District 308 said it was "consulting with our district attorneys to further understand the impact of the decision for our students and staff.". Others, however, are waiting for clarification before proceeding. On Tuesday, the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative Rulesrejected an emergency rule proposed by IDPH which would have outlined the requirements for schools to "exclude" certain students based on their exposure to COVID-19as well as require masks for students and teachers. The day will be made up on May 31. The high school parents challenging Illinois Gov. J.B.. Vernon Hills-based Community High School District 128, too, will still enforce the mask mandate, except for when it comes to students named in the lawsuit. Arlington Heights School District 25 distributed a letter to parents saying it will be in a "mask recommended environment" - at least during the Temporary Restraining Order period. Joliet School District 204 - masks required It is composed of seven judges and encompasses 31 counties across a band of the state. "Within her ruling, Judge Grischow, recognizes the independent authority of school districts," Supt. School districts across Illinois are going mask optional Illinois Appeals Temporary Order Blocking School Mask Mandate Now that the judge has made her widely-anticipated ruling, what are the next steps? Follow heron Facebook.com/leslie.renken. She's been dedicated to the statehouse beat since interning at NPR Illinois in 2014, with subsequent stops at outlets including WILL-AM/FM, Law360, The Daily Line and a temporary stint at political blog Capitol Fax before returning to the station in 2020. "There is no rhyme or reason to have it, if people can have masks optional, that is the best decision for everyone," said Natalie Merchant, anti-mask parent. legislative committee Tuesdaynot renewing the mask mandate, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Leslie Renken can be reached at(309) 370-5087orlrenken@pjstar.com. Derik Holtmann dholtmann@bnd.com. CHICAGO (WLS) -- A downstate attorney is asking for a temporary restraining order against Chicago Public Schools over their continued requirement for face masks. The state of Illinois plans to appeal the decision, Pritzker said late Friday, calling the judges decision misguided., Parents sue Pritzker, 16 school districts in Lake and McHenry , Parents sue Pritzker, 16 school districts in Lake and McHenry counties over mask mandate, COVID rules File Photo Gov. ", Earlier:Mask mandate for Illinois schools rejected by state legislative oversight committee. Home Blog list of schools in illinois mask lawsuit in 2023. . A downstate Illinois judge issued a ruling declaring Gov. However, the state health dept. In fact, the safety mitigations encompassed by the State's guidance, as well as vaccinations for children and adults, are the best ways to keep schools open and everyone healthy. Here's what we know so far. Biden announces aggressive new, Newsfeed Now: Biden to launch new plan against COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Health experts concerned about COVID-19, Newsfeed Now: Pres. Lawsuit filed against 140 Illinois school districts over COVID rules All this is prompted by Gov. What are the names of the school districts being sued over mask "I chose to head to the auditorium without my mask on and really didn't want to go home, I felt it was our right to stay here without our masks per the ruling on a Friday," said senior Sydney Pjesky. 'Like glorified babysitting': A Peoria teacher quits and the video goes viral. It also says its unlawful to require masks as a type of treatment without parental consent or a quarantine order from the courts. "Their goal is to intimidate you," one parent said. Mask optional on Tuesday. Abbott prohibits mask mandates by local governments including school districts. | Provided Photo. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Parents from 145 school districts in Illinois are suing Gov. "I think it's the wrong call.". In St. Charles, district officials have also decided to cancel classes and use an emergency day Monday. READ: Judge Raylene Grischows full ruling here. Quando utilizzi i nostri siti e le nostre app, noi utilizziamo i. autenticare gli utenti, applicare misure di sicurezza e prevenire spam e abusi; misurare l'utilizzo dei nostri siti e delle nostre app. Between vitriol, tears and begging for mask choice, just a few parents and a teacher stepped up to back the board's decision to keep masks mandatory for now. JB. It's just a piece of paper.". Those who are exempt dont have to wear masks. "We hadboth students and adults wearing masks and there were those who chose not to wear masks," Cox said. People seem to be leaving to states with an improved business climate, lower taxes, and we would also say because that states with the worst government finances seem to be losing population the most, Weinberg said. Illinois school mask mandate in hundreds of districts in jeopardy after SPRINGFIELD, Ill. A central Illinois judge has issued a temporary restraining order that prevents school districts statewide that were sued from requiring students to wear masks in classrooms . Governor Pritzker said the judge's ruling, "cultivates chaos" and that, "poor legal reasoning should not take one of our most effective tools off the table so again, I have asked the attorney general to continue to aggressively appeal this decision.". The grave consequence of this misguided decision is that schools in these districts no longer have sufficient tools to keep students and staff safe while COVID-19 continues to threaten our communities and this may force schools to go remote, Pritzker said. Illinois has about 850 districts. says it does have that power under the Department of Public Health Act. Read the Full Text: Judge's Ruling Halts Illinois School Mask Mandate JBPritzker,Illinois State Board of Education superintendent Carmen Ayala and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, as defendants. "My opinion, I think they should still be wearing the masks," Rojek said. Pritzker said the. Pritzker. J.B. Pritzker's ability to use emergency powers to cancel student sports and mandate athletes wear masks changed their lawsuit to try to block . "We have zero documentation other than what we've found online," saidSean OLaughlin on Thursday afternoon. Parents from Dunlap, two school districts in Metamora, Germantown Hills, Eureka, Brimfield, Mortonand Limestone in Bartonville are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. A bright spot in the decision clarifies for which parties the TRO applies. [Ruling on Illinois school mask mandate throws districts into chaos]There has been confusion about school mask and quarantine requirements since Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow issued the temporary restraining order Friday because several hundred Illinois school districts were not named in the litigation. CPS said in a statement last week that the court's ruling does not prohibit the school district from continuing its COVID-19 mitigation policies and procedures, including universal masking, and that the district "will stay the course.". DeVore was in the process of writing a temporary restraining order in the latest lawsuit Thursday afternoon. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Five days later, Pritzker's statewide school mask mandate undid that decision, including for the child of the plaintiff in DeVore's case. Greenville-based attorney Thomas DeVore, the plaintiff in the case, said those executive orders were trying to get around the law of the court and due process. Though the statewide mask mandate . Vaccinations, boosters, mask-wearing and testing are the key to keeping schools open and to maintaining safety standards for staff and students alike. J.B. Pritzker, State Superintendent of . When Judge Grischow announced her decision on 4:45 p.m. on Friday, her 29-page ruling didn't settle the questions about masking in school. Michigan judge dismisses school staff as defendants in lawsuits over "What that says right thereis what I've been saying for months, that (Pritzker's) executive orders are just fearmongering," DeVore said. Ruling on Illinois' school mask mandate expected soon Hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, and staff across Illinois are doing their best to remain healthy and keep schools open. Masks are required regardless of vaccination status.Pritzker said the mandate would protect unvaccinated children and adults, as well as the elderly and others with reduced immune systems who are more likely to develop breakthrough infections of COVID-19 even after they get vaccinations.Arrested:Rochester pastor accused of grooming minor, is suspended, Illinois school mask mandate lawsuit: What you need to know, Illinois school mask mandate lawsuit: What you need to know about a judges ruling that upended school COVID-19 rulesChicago-area school districts are relaxing their COVID-19 policies or revealing they plan to stay the course in the wake of an Illinois judges decision to temporarily prevent Gov. Robert Frost 8th grader Teresa Watson said she wants to see how the mask optional policy goes. For others, the mask optional decision was long overdue. Lawsuit Seeks to Strike School Mask Mandate | Chicago News | WTTW All Rights Reserved. "I think they should follow health recommendations, which right now say kids should be in a mask<' said Reid McCollum, pro-mask parent. "What we issued last night we did with full recognition that it's being appealed and that it is possible and likely that something will change," said Supt. Lawsuit filed against 140 Illinois school districts over COVID , Parents file class action lawsuit against Peoria-area school districts over COVID rulesParents from eight Peoria-area school districts are participating in a lawsuit aimed at abolishing mask requirements in schools.The class action lawsuit against 140 school districts around Illinois was filed Wednesday at the Macoupin County courthouse in Carlinville. 2 in September. Many others have moved swiftly to lift the mask mandate. . The Illinois Federation of Teachers is greatly distressed at the judge's temporary restraining order (TRO) in this case. Hes now running for a seat on the states Fourth District Appellate Court, while Bailey is vying to unseat Pritzker in next years gubernatorial race. Illinois judge grants temporary restraining order against mask mandates The lawsuit was filed by Greenville attorney Thomas DeVore, who has filed a number of lawsuits around the state related to the governor's executive orders issued during the COVID-19 pandemic.