By Dee Longfellow
At the most recent meeting of the District 205 School Board, Superintendent Keisha Campbell gave a brief update about COVID-19 metrics and said that the district had been served and named as one of more than 140 Illinois school districts in a case, Austin v. Pritzker, seeking a temporary restraining order against Gov. JB Pritzker’s mask mandate in schools. Campbell said the district is closely monitoring the case and will respect the legal system and cooperate with any ruling.
Last week, Campbell issued a communique to parents and other stakeholders.
“Throughout the pandemic, we have continued to echo and acknowledge the challenges presented by COVID,” the memo read. “This communication is being shared with compassion and understanding of the myriad perspectives that exist on how school districts and agencies continue to navigate the health landscape as it relates to COVID.
“The staff and administration remain dedicated in our efforts to ensure that the tremendous disruptions caused by COVID are minimized as much as possible while the students are in our schools. Our focus remains on the success of every student and providing them an excellent education where they can thrive and reach their full potential.”
The following updated details are provided in response to the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued regarding the state-mandated COVID mitigations of mask-wearing and close-contact quarantines.
The Court ruling
The ruling in this lawsuit resulted in a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the Governor from enforcing the Executive Order. Since the ruling, the State of Illinois has filed a stay, which could suspend the TRO. The state has also filed an appeal with the 4th District Appellate Court. We anticipate that there will be numerous court proceedings in the coming weeks that may impact these rulings, and we will continue to communicate openly with our community, should any of the details in the ruling change.
Updated District 205 guidance on mask-wearing and close contact exclusions
District 205 will comply with the TRO and on Monday, Feb. 7, the following took effect:
• Masks will be strongly recommended for all students, staff, and visitors in school buildings (Please be advised, this may change based on future court orders).
• Any staff member or student who is considered a close contact of a COVID positive student or staff member will be strongly encouraged to wear a mask while at school, monitor symptoms, and be tested if any symptoms appear.
• KN95 masks are available to any student or staff member upon request.
• Existing layered mitigation measures which have been developed as a part of our Forward Together Plan remain in place at this time.
• Any orders issued by the DuPage County Health Department (isolating when sick, etc.) remain in place.
• All students and staff members are encouraged to stay home if they are not feeling well.
• Despite this ruling, masks are still required at this time for all students on all district transportation (school buses, cabs, etc.) based on a separate federal mandate.
• Student athletes and students participating in extracurricular activities at other schools/districts are expected to comply with the health and safety protocols of the hosting school, district, or facility.
Moving Forward Together
In her written communication, Campbell then talked about the ‘Moving Forward Together’ initiative.
“The importance of respect and kindness remain key as we move forward. We know that the pandemic has created challenges for all of us. We will continue to echo the necessity of fostering a climate of respect and acceptance for all community members, regardless of vaccination status or views on masking. We will move forward together with grace in service to our students and all D205 families.
“Again, we anticipate that there will be numerous court proceedings in the coming weeks that may impact these rulings. Given the frequent changes and unpredictability of this situation, District 205 will continue to provide timely updates to families and work tirelessly to serve our students. Thank you for your support.”
Chicago Tribune explains lawsuit across state
The following report was written by Paul Day, audience editor for the Chicago Tribune.
“A downstate judge’s ruling Friday set off a weekend of confusion for schools across Illinois.
“Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow granted a request to temporarily halt Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive orders on masking and quarantining for schools. Pritzker issued a statement saying he asked the attorney general’s office for an immediate appeal of the decision.
“When students return to class this morning, mask policies may depend on where you live. Some districts, like District 25 in northwest suburban Arlington Heights, announced they would move to a mask-optional policy in the wake of the ruling, while Chicago Public Schools issued a statement Saturday saying the ruling would not prevent the district from continuing to require masks.
“The ruling will be welcomed as a relief to some parents and school officials who have been calling for an ‘off ramp’ to COVID-19 mask mandates as the omicron surge wanes, but the pandemic still poses an extraordinary public health challenge: The U.S. has now surpassed 900,000 coronavirus deaths, and many, schoolchildren and adults alike, have not yet received a COVID vaccine.”
