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J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education last year, arguing there was no due process in Illinois statewide mask order. Se vuoi personalizzare le tue scelte, clicca su "Gestisci le impostazioni per la privacy". Follow heron Facebook.com/leslie.renken. Parents from eight Peoria-area school districts are participating in a lawsuit aimed at abolishing mask requirements in schools. [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. 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. ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) Parents from 145 school districts in Illinois are suing Gov. Some districts are put in a different situation due to collective bargaining agreements. It was later moved to Grischow's courtroom in Sangamon County. HIRING! Leslie Renken can be reached at(309) 370-5087orlrenken@pjstar.com. Pritzker's request to move a massive class-action lawsuit over the state's school mask mandate and other COVID rules to a different county. "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. Parents came armed with no mask signs, American flags and their children to protest mask mandates as school district employees looked down at them from their offices. According to The State Journal-Register, Gov. "Within her ruling, Judge Grischow, recognizes the independent authority of school districts," Supt. The case is a culmination of several others filed statewide by Attorney Tom DeVore. Restaurant vaccine mandate, indoor mask rules could end 'soon' if COVID cases stay in free fall. 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. JB Pritzker over a statewide mask mandate issued to all schools in August. For others, the mask optional decision was long overdue. It also says its unlawful to require masks as a type of treatment without parental consent or a quarantine order from the courts. 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. What exactly happened with the ruling? As we have from the beginning of the pandemic, the administration will keep working to ensure every Illinoisan has the tools needed to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. "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. An Illinois appellate court late Thursday evening dismissed Gov. The ruling comes in light of a legislative committee Tuesdaynot renewing the mask mandate requested by the Illinois Department of Public Health. 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. J.B. Pritzkers emergency rules for COVID-19 mitigations in schools null and void, effectively stopping the states mask mandate in school buildings. Rochester Superintendent Dan Cox said he communicated with parents and guardians after the TRO was announced. District 181 schools went to remote learning Monday while administrators figure out how to interpret the ruling; the district is a party in the case. The Illinois Association of School Administrators on Friday said about 700 districts it has reached so far have a mask optional policy or will transition to one soon. 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. Pritzker responded to the ruling late Friday saying remote learning could take place due to the blocked mitigations. AlWood, Sterling and Dixon school districts announced over the weekend they will be mask optional beginning Monday. That includes going forward with a "mask recommended" policy. More than two dozen Illinois school districts are on probation after flouting the statewide mask requirements for staff and students inside schools. 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. "We now have vaccinations," said Robert Frost Junior High parent Brian Watson. The latest lawsuit was filed in Macoupin County. A downstate Illinois judge issued a ruling declaring Gov. The Illinois Association of School Administrators on Friday said about 700 districts it has reached so far have a mask optional policy or will transition to one soon. Now that the judge has made her widely-anticipated ruling, what are the next steps? "I think they should follow health recommendations, which right now say kids should be in a mask<' said Reid McCollum, pro-mask parent. Out of 850 school district in Illinois, more than 145 districts have filed a lawsuit against Governor JB Pritzker's mask mandate for schools. As one of the districts named in the lawsuit that resulted in the temporary restraining order, administrators said removing the mask mandate for their schools was a legal decision. Mask optional on Tuesday. The class action lawsuit against 140 school districts. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. A Sangamon County judge issued the order after 145 school districts, including Rockridge, were named in a lawsuit in October 2021. It prohibited schools from requiring the plaintiffs kids to wear a mask unless there was consent or a court order. Others think it is time to lift the mandate. 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. More than 700 parents took part in the lawsuit, claiming local health department should have authority to quarantine or mandate masks, not the schools. "She's had three open heart surgeries and she has a low oxygen level, so for her COVID could be calamitous," said her mother Leslie Cummings. A hearing before Seventh Circuit Judge April Troemper is set for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 5 in Carlinville. Early in July, the Centers for Disease Control released guidance for schools, which only recommended masks for unvaccinated individuals. Contact StevenSpearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie. Per saperne di pi su come utilizziamo i tuoi dati personali, consulta la nostra Informativa sulla privacy e la nostra Informativa sui cookie. 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. The Joliet Diocese is requiring all catholic schools within the diocese to continue to wear masks including Joliet Catholic Academy. -Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills School District 181- Open Tuesday. Reading lips is really important for her.". The local school districts named in the parents' lawsuit include Springfield Public School District 186 and Ball-Chatham School District 5 along with Carrollton, Mount Pulaski, Petersburg. Governor JB . 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. J.B. Pritzker, ISBE and 16 school districts in Lake and McHenry counties over the states school mask mandate and other COVID rules. Example video title will go here for this video. The state of Illinois announced it will appeal the decision. Complaint filed . 'Like glorified babysitting': A Peoria teacher quits and the video goes viral. Illinois Gov. 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. Some 60% of new colorectal cancers in . In the meantime, we will continue to advise our members on how to remain safe and healthy at work. CHICAGO (WLS) -- A downstate attorney is asking for a temporary restraining order against Chicago Public Schools over their continued requirement for face masks. J.B. Pritzker's statewide mask mandate in school buildings.. 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. J.B. Pritzker, State Superintendent of . COVID vaccine: Hundreds of Peoria teachers, staff haven't taken COVID vaccine, district says. Joliet School District 204 - masks required They also voted that starting Tuesday, masks will be suggested but not required. This type of evil is exactly what the law was intended to constrain. Read the full ruling here. "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. J.B. Pritzkers school mask mandate and other safety measures from being enforced statewide.After canceling classes Monday to study the ruling, St. Charles District 303 and Geneva District 304 announced they are encouraging students and staff to continue to wear masks, but will no longer require them to do so. The outcome of the lawsuit will impact school districts across the state, including in Central Illinois. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker is seeking an appeal of a judge's ruling temporarily blocking the state from enforcing a mask mandate at dozens of school districts. This shows yet again that the mask mandate and school exclusion protocols are essential tools to keep schools open and everyone safe.. Unlike most of the suits filed by DeVore and others in the last 18 months, Mondays lawsuit does not challenge Pritzkers ability to issue continuous disaster declarations beyond the 30-day period provided for in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, or IEMAA. 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. Craven said the state could file a petition for leave of appeal asking the Illinois Supreme Courtto take thecase or itcould file a motion for supervisory order. The appellate court's decision noted that the TRO "in no way restrains school districts from acting independently from the executive orders or the IDPH in creating provisions addressing COVID-19. Justices Thomas Harris and Lisa Holder White concurred in most parts. So what does it mean, how are schools responding and whats next? How many Illinois school districts are mask optional? 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. "You have all shown your true colors. "We're seeing it in so many places, tens of thousands of schools across the country, have been mask optional all year long.". The word school is only mentioned five times, but in conjunction with the states earthquake awareness program, as well as grants for safety and security improvements. The law constantly refers to coordination with smaller units of local government like municipalities and counties, but the definition of political subdivision within the statute doesnt include school districts. Update on Court Case and Masking in D128: https://t.co/Vz0Dxo097T. 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. The Illinois Federation of Teachers is greatly distressed at the judge's temporary restraining order (TRO) in this case. 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. Thus, it does not appear the school districts are temporarily restrained from acting by the courts TRO. Last Friday, the judge in Sangamon County ruled against Governor JB Pritzker's mask mandate inside school buildings, in response to lawsuits involving parents and teachers from more than 150 districts. It was a regular school day inside. 8 min read. Pritzker announced on Feb. 9 a plan to rollback indoor mask requirements by the end of the month. All this is prompted by Gov. "We have heard from all sides throughout the pandemic about their feelings regarding masking and the quarantine.". The 90 plaintiffs in the suit worked in 22 different . 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. The legislation remains the subject of advocacy and outrage in parent Facebook groups against masking in schools. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The restraining order, which went into effect Friday afternoon, voidedemergency rules from the Illinois Board of Education requiring regular testing or proof of vaccination from school staff. ", Earlier:Mask mandate for Illinois schools rejected by state legislative oversight committee. Dozens of students showed up at Naperville schools Monday maskless. 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. In a letter attached as an exhibit to the lawsuit, District 12 Superintendent Travis Schmale wrote to parents last week, empathizing with frustration borne of "constant changes. ", Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The lawsuit questionsthe mask mandate and a schools ability to exclude students and deny in-person learning without a lawful order of quarantine from alocal health department. A Sangamon County judge has denied class action status for a lawsuit challenging Illinois' mask and vaccine mandates for school personnel. "Mask mandates in schools are illegal, they simply don't work, and they contribute to alarming and negative psychological impacts on our children," Schmitt, a . The lawsuit against the 146 schooldistricts was originally filed in Macoupin County in October. "Some people were saying like, 'Oh yeah this is so exciting finally!' While Pritzker will spill gallons on ink on the history of the COVID pandemic and how his administration has worked to keep people safe, none of this obfuscation is relevant to the precise question of what is the extent of his delegated power by the legislature under the [Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act], DeVote wrote in the 11-page complaint. Illinois schools from requiring people to wear face masks in classes and excluding students and staff from school buildings if they've had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. After nearly two years of online learning, Claudette Cummings was on the verge of going back to in-person learning. SANGAMON COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- A downstate Illinois judge ruled against the state's school mandates, including masking, in response to lawsuits involving parents and teachers from more than. ILLINOIS, USA A central Illinois judge has issued a temporary restraining order that prevents school districts statewide from requiring students to wear masks in classrooms, saying Gov.. "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. 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.. Several surrounding school districts, including Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Arlington Heights, Barrington and Wheaton, have chosen to make masks optional. So right now we're effectively in a holding pattern.". 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. 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. "I'm not sure who you represent but it is not us," said another parent. See also: Assistant school superintendent from Indiana lands top position with Ball-Chatham district. Geneva District 304 has declared Monday an emergency day as the schools work out what they will do regarding masks, officials announced Sunday night. 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. Here's what we know so far. ", More:Illinois mask mandate for most indoor settings will be lifted by the end of the month. Though the statewide mask mandate . 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.. Area school districts named in the lawsuit were Ball-Chatham, Carrollton, Mount Pulaski, Petersburg PORTA, Jacksonville, North Mac, Carlinville and Staunton. SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (WLS) -- An Illinois judge's ruling has forced many schools Monday to decide whether to continue with a mask mandate or to make them optional, and emotions across the state are running high. Illinois, which has among the highest tax burdens in the nation, could be pricing people out. It's a big change for students and parents at Robert Frost Junior High School in Schaumburg. Full Statement from Illinois Federation of Teachers. Many others have moved swiftly to lift the mask mandate. "It's time for kids out of masks. Jeff Schuler, Community Unit School District 200. Not anymore. J.B.. Chicago Public Schools and its 350,000 students will continue masking. The state of Illinois announced it will appeal the decision,with Pritzker late Friday calling the ruling "misguided.". DeVore was in the process of writing a temporary restraining order in the latest lawsuit Thursday afternoon. "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. TAYLOR RIDGE, Ill. Mask requirements, quarantine, COVID-19 vaccination mandates, and testing rules are temporarily blocked for Illinois schools following a judge's ruling on Feb 4. Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow issued the order Friday afternoon in a lawsuit brought by hundreds of parents in more than 145 school districts who claim the mask order denies students due process. It also voids rules from theIllinois Department of Public Health outlining a schools obligation to exclude students from school who have confirmed cases of COVID-19 or are a close contact to someone with COVID-19. While it has been a tumultuous past few weeks for schools, Illinois Education Association president Kathi Griffin, in a statement Friday, said she at least appreciated the clarity the decision brought forth. "My opinion, I think they should still be wearing the masks," Rojek said. 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 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.