Please read an important update from Superintendent Sanders on our COVID mitigation strategies, including masks here https://t.co/jQBvX09xKh. "We have wide spaces (and) large classrooms. 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. Parents from eight Peoria-area school districts are participating in a lawsuit aimed at abolishing mask requirements in schools. In Schaumburg's District 54, masks in school are now optional. Neither Pritzkers office, nor the ISBE, immediately returned messages seeking comment. What the ruling does. 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. Five days later, Pritzker's statewide school mask mandate undid that decision, including for the child of the plaintiff in DeVore's case. Parents from Dunlap, two school districts in Metamora, Germantown Hills, Eureka, Brimfield, Mortonand Limestone in Bartonville are named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.The 11-county complaint names 140 school districts, Gov. One of the cases DeVore is representing parents in actually sparked this newest lawsuit and the largest complaint filed yet. Masks must be worn in Illinois schools when students and staff return to the classroom in the coming weeks. MASK AND EXCLUSION POLICIES. The high school parents challenging Illinois Gov. To learn more about ChatGPT and how we can inspire students, we sat down with BestReviews book expert, Ciera Pasturel. A Sangamon County judge issued the order after 145 school districts, including Rockridge, were named in a lawsuit in October 2021. 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. 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. Derik Holtmann dholtmann@bnd.com. ", "We feel our original masking policy would have been appropriate as it allowed everyone to make their own decisions," Schmale wrote. 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. Some are comfortable with the switch to a mask optional policy, while others are not. This time, parents sued the school districts, IDPH, ISBE and Gov. Statutory rights have attempted to be bypassed through the issuance of executive orders and emergency rules, she stated in the 29-page order. The state's second largest school district will have an exemption for a handful of students whose parents were part of the lawsuit, but that's it. Hundreds of thousands of students, teachers, and staff across Illinois are doing their best to remain healthy and keep schools open. Some of the parents in the complaint shared their views on the issue prior to filing the complaint, said O'Laughlin. After nearly two years of online learning, Claudette Cummings was on the verge of going back to in-person learning. "We have zero documentation other than what we've found online," saidSean OLaughlin on Thursday afternoon. A spokeswoman for Gov. "In terms of the feedback we got, it was one of the best weeks of school we had in a long time. The state of Illinois announced it will appeal the decision. Pritzker said the. "Within her ruling, Judge Grischow, recognizes the independent authority of school districts," Supt. ", More:Illinois mask mandate for most indoor settings will be lifted by the end of the month. That hearing is set for Nov. 5. - 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. But on July 27, the CDC reversed its guidance, recommending masking in schools, even for for fully vaccinated people, as the Delta variant rises and new studies were published about the possibility of rare breakthrough infections due to the strain's mutation. Attorney General Kwame Raoul agreed with Pritzker that the ruling would make it more difficult to protect students and school employees from the virus, and said he would appeal. Example video title will go here for this video. Pritzker later responded to the decision; asking the Attorney General's Office to grant an immediate appeal. Sam said he is listening to his mom and the new rules have him worried. J.B. Pritzker in October 2021. School districts and private businesses can continue to require masks at their discretion. Parents lash out at Naperville school board meeting after district decides to keep requiring masks. That bill, HB 2789, passed the Illinois House on party lines in April, but never received a vote on the Senate floor this spring before the legislature adjourned. I mean obviously I'm still gonna wear it because I haven't gotten my booster yet, but I guess I'll just have to see," she said. "There are factual bases for the distinction," Craven said. CHICAGO AREA, IL Masks in schools have been a topic of debate for parents since face coverings first became required for kids attending school in Illinois. 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. 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. According to the ruling, such agreements remain enforceable, like the one between Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union. 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. But the state's top court . 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.. Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. Craven said schools are different because most younger students are unvaccinated or can't be vaccinated age-wise and movement is different in schools versus workplaces. "We have medications that can address the issue. All rights reserved, Indiana State Trooper Struck and Killed by Suspect During Police Chase, Chicago FOP Lodge Reelects John Catanzara as President. The appellate court affirmatively stated that the language of the TRO in no way restrains school districts from acting independently from the executive orders or the IDPH in creating provisions addressing COVID-19.". 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. 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. Illinois is one of 13 states that require masks in schools in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. A bright spot in the decision clarifies for which parties the TRO applies. . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Oxford Community Schools and its staff are shielded from such civil litigation by state law under the doctrine of governmental immunity, Oakland County . As school districts across the state begin to interpret the order, different actions are being taken. CHICAGO Illinois schools are no longer required to mandate masks for their students, according to a court ruling. In some locales, there were protests at school board meetings. I think it's this document that has a list of the plaintiffs. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Illinois is requiring students . COVID vaccine: Hundreds of Peoria teachers, staff haven't taken COVID vaccine, district says. ", According to these parents, Pritzker has continuously issued, "one-man edicts, mandates, orders, and one size fits all guidance," throughout the pandemic. Other parents who added their names to the complaint include six from Germantown Hills School District 69; 13from Eureka Community Unit District 140; 10 from Metamora Community Consolidated School District 1; seven from Brimfield Community Unit School District 309; nine from Morton Community Unit School District 709; four from Limestone Community High School District 310. Area school districts named in the lawsuit were Ball-Chatham, Carrollton, Mount Pulaski, Petersburg PORTA, Jacksonville, North Mac, Carlinville and Staunton. Many others have moved swiftly to lift the mask mandate. But emotions boiled over a meeting in Naperville Monday night. 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. Weather explainer: What is a River Flood Warning? (AS TO ALL PLAINTIFFS, IDPH AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS) 11. mopeyjoe 1 yr. ago. The State has completed over 2 million COVID-19 tests in schools through the SHIELD program and sent more than a million rapid tests into schools outside of the City of Chicago. Pritzker's administration quickly adopted the new guidelines. At least one Illinois school district has canceled classes for Monday and many others have decided to recommend masks. "Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pritzker administration has implemented mitigations and programming to protect the health and safety of students, teachers, and staff in schools. HIRING! So what does it mean, how are schools responding and whats next? A temporary restraining order issued Friday by Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow has reduced schools' ability to require masks and vaccinations. 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. According to The State Journal-Register, Gov. "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. 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. "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. 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J.B. Pritzkers emergency rules for COVID-19 mitigations in schools null and void, effectively stopping the states mask mandate in school buildings. The class action lawsuit against 140 school districts. "I think they should follow health recommendations, which right now say kids should be in a mask<' said Reid McCollum, pro-mask parent. All parents want is a choice," said Jennifer Hildreth, anti-mask parent. ", Governor JB Pritzker spoke about the ruling Monday morning at a press conference on preventing expressway shootings. We believe we can achieve this," said Matt Davidson, superintendent for Timothy Christian Schools. "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. Pritzker responded to the ruling late Friday saying remote learning could take place due to the blocked mitigations. Not anymore. According to the ruling, collectively-bargained agreements remain enforceable, like the one between CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union. Beginning on September 19, 2021, those who are unable or unwilling to be vaccinated will be required to get tested for COVID-19 at least once per week until they can prove that they are fully vaccinated. The judge argued those state offices would all be affected by the outcome of the case. 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. JB Pritzker. 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. Illinois schools were scrambling to react after a ruling by a downstate judge Friday placed a temporary restraining order on Gov. To facilitate safe in-person learning, the administration has provided schools across the state with 3.8 million masks for students, teachers, and staff as of January 12th. This type of evil is exactly what the law was intended to constrain. Read the full ruling here. 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. 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., Download the WQAD News 8 App Subscribe toourdaily newsletter Subscribeto ourYouTubechannel. This shows yet again that the mask mandate and school exclusion protocols are essential tools to keep schools open and everyone safe.. And we will stand with our local unions to protect our members and the students they serve. pencils, books and now a new addition to the back-to-school shopping list: a mask. TheFourth District Appellate Courtis one of five districts of theIllinois Appellate Court. "My opinion, I think they should still be wearing the masks," Rojek said. "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. Geneva Community United School District 304 said it will cancel classes Monday, explaining implementing an emergency day is in its best interest. 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. (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. Vaccinations, boosters, mask-wearing and testing are the key to keeping schools open and to maintaining safety standards for staff and students alike. "We're really excited for that," said father of three Michael Lafido. The districts said all other current COVID-19 mitigation protocols will. (The Center Square) - Students attending one of the 145 schools across Illinois who are part of a sweeping lawsuit won't have to wear a mask if they don't want to, unless they're given due process. However, the district explained there are students who have exceptions as they are included in the lawsuit in which the TRO was issued. Illinois has about 850 districts. 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. Thus, it does not appear the school districts are temporarily restrained from acting by the courts TRO. 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 90 plaintiffs in the suit worked in 22 different . It made sense to consolidate all of them, he said, except for two lawsuits outside of Central Illinois. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education last year, arguing there was no due process in Illinois' statewide mask order. READ: Judge Raylene Grischow's full ruling here. The parents from District 203 read from the temporary restraining order. "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. 2023 www.sj-r.com. Context: The protest unfolds as a Sangamon County circuit court judge prepares to rule on a lawsuit against 146 Illinois school districts mostly downstate but including CPS that challenges the mandate. The 11-county complaint names 140 school districts, Gov. A dozen parents or guardians from District 122 were named in the complaint. The class action lawsuit against 140 school districts around Illinois was filed Wednesday at the Macoupin County courthouse in Carlinville. says it does have that power under the Department of Public Health Act. 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. 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 American Cancer Society said Wednesday that about 20% of new colorectal cancer diagnoses were in patients under 55 in 2019, compared with 11% in 1995. This shows yet again that the mask mandate and school exclusion protocols are essential tools to keep schools open and everyone safe. 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. 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. 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. 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. 2 in September. Heres the full list from Central Illinois: Amended Complaint Macoupin Co. by Neil Street on Scribd. A spokesperson for Pritzkers office could not be reached for comment Monday evening. Se non vuoi che noi e i nostri partner utilizziamo i cookie e i dati personali per questi scopi aggiuntivi, clicca su "Rifiuta tutto". 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. The Score | Week 9 high school basketball games, stats and scores from the Quad Cities, Thousands pack Wharton Field House to watch Moline punch their ticket to the Elite Eight. 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 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. We believe what the judge ordered today is legally faulty and a threat to public health and, most importantly, a threat to keeping Illinois schools open for in-person learning. However, the state health dept. 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 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. "What that says right thereis what I've been saying for months, that (Pritzker's) executive orders are just fearmongering," DeVore said. Leslie Renken can be reached at(309) 370-5087orlrenken@pjstar.com. The court's misguided decision is wrong on the law, demonstrates a misunderstanding of Illinois emergency injunction proceedings and has no relation to the record that was before the court. Justice John Turner wrote the order. J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the . Well over 100 school districts in Illinois were sued in the lawsuit. CHICAGO (WLS) -- On Monday, Chicago Public Schools parents Kelley Escamilla and her husband gave their 3rd and 6th graders a choice: Go to school and wear a mask or don't. They didn't wear masks . Justices Thomas Harris and Lisa Holder White concurred in most parts. "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," said Governor JB Pritzker. -Hinsdale/Clarendon Hills School District 181- Open Tuesday. Lake County school districts named in the, Amber/Orange light (with AirPods in): Your AirPods are charging inside the case. Reading lips is really important for her.". 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. Only children 12 and over are currently eligible for COVID vaccines. Rochester Superintendent Dan Cox said he communicated with parents and guardians after the TRO was announced. That happened in Bond County. 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. 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 Gov. "Its far past time we restore the system of self-governance upon which this nation was founded. "We now have vaccinations," said Robert Frost Junior High parent Brian Watson. Out of 850 school district in Illinois, more than 145 districts have filed a lawsuit against Governor JB Pritzker's mask mandate for schools. The ruling announced Friday afternoon states defendants are temporarily restrained from ordering school districts to require masks for students and teachers - unless a quarantine order is issued by a local health department. 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. "I think it's the wrong call.". The ruling comes after parents from those . J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education last year, arguing there was no due process in Illinois statewide mask order. 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. A Sangamon County judge has ruled. A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Gov. Parents filed suit against more than 140 school districts, Gov. DeVore rose to prominence among conservatives last year for filing numerous lawsuits against Pritzkers administration for COVID mitigations, most famously a suit that freed just one person State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) from the governors stay-at-home orders. "We hadboth students and adults wearing masks and there were those who chose not to wear masks," Cox said. 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. The order was the result of. Per saperne di pi su come utilizziamo i tuoi dati personali, consulta la nostra Informativa sulla privacy e la nostra Informativa sui cookie. Copyright 2023 WLS-TV. For children in primary schools, health advice is that under 11s are exempt from wearing face coverings in national guidance ? Though the statewide mask mandate . "I have a daughter that is a little speech delayed. Rockton School District says it's still subject to the Governor's mask mandate. The board added that they encourage everyone to wear a mask due to high transmission rates in schools. But a just-filed lawsuit could void that statewide executive order. On Monday, Rochester's board of education met at a special meeting to pass a layered mitigation plan. You have all shown your true colors. The ruling was a response to a lawsuit filed by a group of parents and school districts who claimed . They were separated out and did e-learning activities.