The state of Illinois announced it will appeal the decision. We insist that school districts statewide abide by existing agreements on health and safety. A bright spot in the decision clarifies for which parties the TRO applies. The day will be made up on May 31. Reading lips is really important for her.". A group of Wheaton parents gathered to protest outside District 200's headquarters Monday, demanding school administrators walk back its mask optional policy change. "You guys have kept school running. Cox said he didn't seeany problems in schools after the TRO basically made mask wearing unenforceable. Illinois has about 850 districts. 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"This type of evil is exactly what the law was intended to constrain., The state of Illinois plans to appeal the decision, Pritzker said late Friday, calling the judge's decision "misguided. and other people were like, 'I'm still gonna wear it.' Chicago Public Schools and its 350,000 students will continue masking. "This shows yet again that the mask mandate and school exclusion protocols are essential tools to keep schools open and everyone safe. A judge's recent ruling that Gov. You do not need to show proof of vaccination in Chicago and Cook County. . Prior to the ruling,NBC 5 talked to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, about the state of COVID-19 in Illinois. 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. "We recognize the challenges this decision may have on our families, but given the fluidity of the situation we strongly feel that this time is necessary to effectively plan for any potential impact on our students, staff, and school community," said Dr. Kent Mutchler, superintendent. 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. So right now we're effectively in a holding pattern.". The governor's office issued a news release saying schools may be forced to go remote if they don't have proper tools to keep students and staff safe. 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. 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Their argument, in a nutshell, is if a school is going to order masks or remove a kid from school for not following COVID-19 policies, the district needs to get parental consent or a court order. The Fourth District Appellate Court ruled early Friday that Illinois' indoor mask requirement in schools has expired and the appeal made by the Illinois attorney general against a temporary restraining order issued Feb. 4 barring schools from enforcing it was dismissed. However, the district explained there are students who have exceptions as they are included in the lawsuit in which the TRO was issued. Some 60% of new colorectal cancers in . The lawsuit demands that county health departments issue guidance on masks, in-person learning and quarantining students instead of state leaders and school districts. "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. Recently, the State provided 350,000 rapid tests to Chicago Public Schools to facilitate a return to in person learning.To increase access to the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccination, the State has held 1,767 on-site vaccination clinics in schools and day camps with an additional 470 clinics already scheduled. ", According to these parents, Pritzker has continuously issued, "one-man edicts, mandates, orders, and one size fits all guidance," throughout the pandemic. J.B. Pritzkers emergency rules for COVID-19 mitigations in schools null and void, effectively stopping the states mask mandate in school buildings. ", "We feel our original masking policy would have been appropriate as it allowed everyone to make their own decisions," Schmale wrote. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Parents from 145 school districts in Illinois are suing Gov. Many others have moved swiftly to lift the mask mandate. JBPritzker, Illinois State Board of Education superintendent Carmen Ayala and Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.A hearing before Seventh Circuit Judge April Troemper is set in Carlinville at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 5.The lawsuit questionedthe mask mandate and a schools ability to exclude students and deny in-person learning without a lawful order of quarantine from alocal health department.Pritzker issued an executive order on Aug. 26requiring masks in Illinois schools for teachers, students, staff and visitors. Those who are exempt dont have to wear masks. All this is prompted by Gov. I know there was a lot of discussion going on outside of the school walls. 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A Michigan judge on Friday dismissed a school district and its employees as defendants in two wrongful death lawsuits stemming from a deadly 2021 mass shooting by a 15-year-old student armed with a gun his parents had bought him for Christmas. "We're seeing it in so many places, tens of thousands of schools across the country, have been mask optional all year long.". HIRING! 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. 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. Gov. 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.". Hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, and staff across Illinois are doing their best to remain healthy and keep schools open. JB Pritzker announced that the statewide mask mandate that requires face coverings in public indoor settings will be lifted Monday, Feb. 28. It made sense to consolidate all of them, he said, except for two lawsuits outside of Central Illinois. Grischow's temporary restraining order blocks the nearly 170 school districts named in DeVore's lawsuits from enforcing mask requirements and exclusion rules for students and staff as well as. 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. They also voted that starting Tuesday, masks will be suggested but not required. On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. "Because future court rulings may go back and forth, and because changing our policies back and forth would create confusion and disruption in our schools, we will continue the current mask policy for now," Archdiocese officials said. 2 in September. Heres what we know so far. For one thing, what she issued was only a temporary restraining order, expecting a final decision later. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. Pritzker. Crystal LakeElementary District 47issued a similar message explaining "face masks will be strongly recommended but not required at school and at all school-related events for staff and students, as well as visitors and volunteers.". The order was the result of. Governor Pritzker has asked the Illinois Attorney General's office for an immediate appeal of Judge Grischow's decision to restrain the State from enforcing the safety measures aimed at protecting teachers, school personnel, students and communities from COVID-19.The Attorney General is seeking an expedited appeal from the Fourth District Illinois Appellate Court. The lawsuit was filed in downstate Macoupin County on Oct. 20, by attorneys Tom Devore, Jeffrey Mollet and Erik D. Hyam, of the Silver Lake Group, of Greenville. says it does have that power under the Department of Public Health Act. That wouldn't affect schools or congregate settings like hospitals and long-term care facilities. As school districts across the state begin to interpret the order, different actions are being taken. (The Center Square) - The case with more than 700 parents suing more than 140 school districts over mask and exclusion policies implemented on school children continues. A Sangamon County judge has denied class action status for a lawsuit challenging Illinois' mask and vaccine mandates for school personnel. J.B. Pritzker's emergency rules for COVID-19 mitigations in schools "null and void,", New Ranking Names Most Expensive Cities In Illinois and These Chicago Suburbs Top the List, Chicago Suburb Lands on List of Happiest Places to Live,' Another Midwest City Makes Top 10, Chicago-Area Counties Under Winter Storm Advisories and Warnings, Stomach Bug Cases Surging, Sending People to Emergency Rooms in Chicago Area. The Joliet Diocese is requiring all catholic schools within the diocese to continue to wear masks including Joliet Catholic Academy. The case was filed in Macoupin County by attorney Thomas DeVore seeks declaratory judgment and injunctions against the schools, saying its unlawful to exclude students from school for allegedly being in close contact with a COVID-19 case without the consent of the parent or a court order that includes due process. Parents filed suit against more than 140 school districts, Gov. What exactly happened with the ruling? FOR WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN BASE THEIR. J.B. Pritzker, State Superintendent of . J.B. Pritzker's statewide mask mandate in school buildings.. - Timothy Christian Schools: Mask optional, - Barrington School District: Masks recommended but not required, - District 200 in Wheaton: Masks recommended but not required, - District 67 in Lake Forest: Masks recommended but not required. J.B. Pritzker, ISBE and 16 school districts in Lake and McHenry counties over the states school mask mandate and other COVID rules. 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. Our children and their families need certainty and some normalcy at school, not legal wrangling managed by a small minority of citizens.We urge the judge to stay her ruling and the state to appeal it as soon as possible. School districts and private businesses can continue to require masks at their discretion. "We hadboth students and adults wearing masks and there were those who chose not to wear masks," Cox said. Mask optional on Tuesday. Well over 100 school districts in Illinois were sued in the lawsuit. It was denied Class Action status. "Due to the multiple interpretations of the ruling and the status of the State mandates, there is a strong likelihood that there will be disruption in our schools which will have a substantial negative impact on the delivery of instruction and the health and safety of our students and staff," the district said in a letter to families.