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. 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. 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 board added that they encourage everyone to wear a mask due to high transmission rates in schools. "However, this is no longer a policy at this time.". By Kenzie Dillow. READ: Judge Raylene Grischows full ruling here. JB Pritzker said the governor was "disappointed" with the decision and saidheplanned to appeal. "Based on the wording of the temporary restraining order we believe we still have the authority to enforce mask wearing as part of our local mitigation efforts, and again, the local bargaining agreements that we have that compel us to provide a safe environment for our employees to work," U-46 Superintendent Tony Sanders said. Heres what we know so far. The legislation remains the subject of advocacy and outrage in parent Facebook groups against masking in schools. Pritzker issued an executive order Aug. 26requiring masks in Illinois schools for teachers, students, staff and visitors. This comes as school districts scrambled to reassess COVID mitigations after a judge granted a temporary injunction last week. All rights reserved, Indiana State Trooper Struck and Killed by Suspect During Police Chase, Chicago FOP Lodge Reelects John Catanzara as President. Several surrounding school districts, including Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Arlington Heights, Barrington and Wheaton, have chosen to make masks optional. 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. "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. ", Abudayyeh said the governor "was encouraged that the court made it clear that school districts can continue to keep their own mitigations in place.". All Rights Reserved. A Sangamon County judge issued the order after 145 school districts, including Rockridge, were named in a lawsuit in October 2021. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Gov. Car dealership workers kidnapped, tortured in armed robbery: police, Woman buys new tires that turn out to be 9 years old. Gov. Contact StevenSpearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie. 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. 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. 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. 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. Parents from eight Peoria-area school districts are participating in a lawsuit aimed at abolishing mask requirements in schools. AlWood, Sterling and Dixon school districts announced over the weekend they will be mask optional beginning Monday. The court meets in Springfield. The group of parents released a statement on Oct. 25, 2021, through attorney Thomas DeVore regarding the lawsuit. A temporary restraining order issued Friday by Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow has reduced schools' ability to require masks and vaccinations. Pritzker had harsh wordsfor the judge's decision and quickly urged the state's attorney general's office to appeal, suggesting the ruling could spark another surge in the virus. The superintendent of District 122 in Metamora said they were aware of the lawsuit, but not in any official capacity. The lawsuit against the 146 schooldistricts was originally filed in Macoupin County in October. A new bill in the Illinois House aims to stop schools from working with police to issue students tickets for minor misbehavior, a harmful and sometimes costly . 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. The class action lawsuit against 140 school districts around Illinois was filed Wednesday at the Macoupin County courthouse in Carlinville. 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. 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. pencils, books and now a new addition to the back-to-school shopping list: a mask. 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. Illinois mask mandate will lift for residents Feb. 28, but students will have to continue wearing masks at schools. 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. 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.". Some districts are put in a different situation due to collective bargaining agreements. Prolific anti-COVID mitigation attorney Tom DeVore on Monday filed suit over Gov. Heres the full list from Central Illinois: Amended Complaint Macoupin Co. by Neil Street on Scribd. The three-judge panel wrotethat the expiration of the emergency rules renderedtheappeal "moot.". 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. J.B. Pritzker's administration are asking a state appellate court to set aside a lower court order from late Friday that invalidated the mask "Why are you continuing to enforce a mandate that is null and void?" Parents from 145 Illinois school districts filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against their respective districts, Gov. 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. 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 in a statement. That wouldn't affect schools or congregate settings like hospitals and long-term care facilities. 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. Pritzker later responded to the decision; asking the Attorney General's Office to grant an immediate appeal. | Provided Photo. Pritzker added it didn't stop businesses or local governments from creating and enforcing mask requirements. "You have all shown your true colors. According to The State Journal-Register, Gov. 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. 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. "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. On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. A judge's recent ruling that Gov. Though the statewide mask mandate . 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.. 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 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. Please read an important update from Superintendent Sanders on our COVID mitigation strategies, including masks here https://t.co/jQBvX09xKh. CHICAGO (WLS) -- A downstate attorney is asking for a temporary restraining order against Chicago Public Schools over their continued requirement for face masks. Attorney General Raoul officially filed an appeal Monday morning. "We have had parent contact at board meetings and had conversations with a variety of parents, including the ones listed not all of them but also additional parents who have shared their concerns on both sides of the issue with the district," O'Laughlin said. Parents filed suit against more than 140 school districts, Gov. 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NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | The judge's decision covers districts across the state but not Chicago Public Schools. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of parents in 146 school districts in Macoupin County in mid-October last year. Some 60% of new colorectal cancers in . For children in primary schools, health advice is that under 11s are exempt from wearing face coverings in national guidance ? The lawsuit demands that county health departments issue guidance on masks, in-person learning and quarantining students instead of state leaders and school districts. One of the cases DeVore is representing parents in actually sparked this newest lawsuit and the largest complaint filed yet. Illinois school districts will be deciding whether or not to make masks optional after a judge ruled against the state's mandate. Meanwhile, Chicago Public Schools said it will continue to require masks, as will U-46 in Elgin. Davidson said he believes he has the support of most of his school community. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Illinois is requiring students . Rockridge School District released a statement, saying they are reviewing the judge's decision and will provide an update "as soon as possible.". In the meantime, we will continue to advise our members on how to remain safe and healthy at work. The judge argued those state offices would all be affected by the outcome of the case. The case is a culmination of several others filed statewide by Attorney Tom DeVore. There are exceptions. While the courts have settled that question in Pritzkers favor, DeVores suit over the school mask mandate alleges the IEMAA doesnt allow a governor to usurp the authority of school districts. 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. The Illinois attorney general is seeking an expedited appeal of the restraining order from theFourth District Illinois Appellate Court,according to a statement from Gov. The judge filed a temporary restraining order against Bond CountyCommunity UnitSchool DistrictNo. Some Illinois parents are urging their kids to go to school without a mask today to protest Gov. "I'm not sure who you represent but it is not us," said another parent. A dozen parents or guardians from District 122 were named in the complaint. 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. 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. However, the district explained there are students who have exceptions as they are included in the lawsuit in which the TRO was issued. 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. 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. "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. 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. Oxford Community Schools and its staff are shielded from such civil litigation by state law under the doctrine of governmental immunity, Oakland County . 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. 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. 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. In south suburban Burbank, School District 111 will "fully comply with the court's ruling," but recommends masks be worn by all students and staff in school buildings. Robert Frost 8th grader Teresa Watson said she wants to see how the mask optional policy goes. . 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. in all settings, including education. 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. 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. Hannah covers state government and politics for NPR Illinois and Illinois Public Radio. 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. READ: Judge Raylene Grischow's full ruling here. The ruling was a response to a lawsuit filed by a group of parents and school districts who claimed .