A St. Charles County Circuit Court judge dismissed Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit Thursday against the local school district’s now-rescinded mask mandate, leaving few cases from Schmitt’s legal blitz remaining. The City of St. Charles School District was one of 47 districts Schmitt sued earlier this year over mask mandates, and it was one of only three […]
mask mandate
State files appeal to Supreme Court on mask mandate ruling
Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a petition for appeal Tuesday, along with a motion for an emergency stay of a Sangamon County judge’s order to block enforcement of the rules.
Illinois Democrats vote to remove nine maskless Republicans from House chamber
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House voted to remove nine Republican members from the House floor Thursday afternoon for their refusal to comply with face covering requirements, delaying the start of the legislative session for the third straight day. In a 66-39 vote, Democrats voted to remove Reps. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, Blaine Wilhour, […]
GOP members challenge Illinois House floor mask mandate; Democrat motions for their removal ahead of private caucus
SPRINGFIELD — Confusion and pushback regarding the enforcement of masks mandates spilled over onto the House Floor Wednesday afternoon during the chamber’s regular legislative session after Republicans refused to comply with face covering requirements. Amid the pandemic, lawmakers approved House rules requiring face coverings to be worn in the chamber unless eating, drinking or speaking […]
Pritzker plans to lift mask mandate by Feb. 28 except in ‘sensitive locations’
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker will make an official announcement on the state’s plan for lifting its indoor mask mandate at 2 p.m. in Chicago, but in a morning news conference in Champaign Wednesday, he noted that he plans to lift the indoor mandate for some settings by Feb. 28. That won’t be the lift […]
Pritzker says ‘stay tuned’ for new guidance on masks; decisions from other Democratic-led states, Illinois court ruling ramp up pressure
SPRINGFIELD — Illinoisans should stay tuned for an announcement on the state’s indoor mask mandate, Gov. JB Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday, although he declined to say specifically what changes might be coming. “I think I’ve said over the last few press conferences that I really believe that we ought to be […]
QPS and other local districts to comply with court order; masks no longer required
Quincy Public Schools Superintendent Roy Webb released a statement Saturday evening saying District 172 would no longer enforce masking requirements for students and staff and would cease testing of unvaccinated staff.
Sangamon Co. Judge blocks schools from enforcing mask, vaccine mandates… refers to policies as ‘type of evil’
In a 30-page ruling late Friday, Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow “deemed null and void” the governor’s emergency rules through the Illinois Department of Public Health concerning COVID-19 mitigations for schools.
Pritzker responds to lawsuit, calls DeVore a ‘grifter’; DeVore threatens to sue…
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker responded to the lawsuit filed by attorney Thomas DeVore against 145 schools, Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education behalf of hundreds of parents of students over COVID-19 orders affecting school children. “Well, you know, he’s a grifter who is taking money from parents who are being taken advantage of,” […]
Pritzker: Continued COVID decline could end mask mandate
Gov. J.B Pritzker said Illinois will need to show a steady decline in state COVID-19 transmissions before he considers lifting the statewide indoor mask mandate he revived in August. When asked what metrics were needed for Pritzker to rescind his executive order, the governor pointed to high hospitalization rates and new case numbers relative to metrics when Illinois “fully […]
Judge reinstates status of two schools punished by ISBE for not following mask mandate
A judge in Effingham County has issued a temporary restraining order against the Illinois State Board of Education and reinstated the recognition status of two public schools that aren’t following the governor’s COVID-19 mask mandate. The case was brought by attorney Thomas DeVore on behalf of Red Hill, Woden-Herrick and Beecher City school districts. While […]
Pritzker says he’s waiting for further decline in COVID-19 transmission before lifting indoor mask mandate
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday he’s looking for clear signs that coronavirus transmission is on the decline in Illinois before he’ll consider lifting the indoor mask mandate he reinstated in late August amid a surge driven by the virus’ highly contagious delta variant. “We’re watching to make sure that we’re on a good downward trajectory,” Pritzker said […]
Judge says masks can’t be required without official quarantine order
Three children in Effingham County can’t be forced to wear masks without an official quarantine order from the county health department, a judge ruled Wednesday. Later in the day, a different judge enjoined an entire school district from requiring masks without a court order. The attorney who brought the cases anticipates more such cases across […]
Lawmakers question enforcement of school mask mandates
Ask state education board to adopt formal rules on enforcement actions By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Expressing concern that the Illinois State Board of Education might have overstepped its bounds by threatening to withhold funding from school districts that do not enforce its mask mandate, a legislative panel on Tuesday urged the agency […]
Does HB 4135 signal that ISBE doesn’t have authority to punish schools for defying state mask mandate?
A new bill would give the Illinois State Board of Education the authority to issue, withhold and revoke state recognition of schools who fail to comply with COVID-19 health regulations. Notably, the bill has not yet been introduced to a committee, meaning beyond being drafted and introduced, there has been no legislative activity on the measure. The […]
Opponents of government mandates seek local control
QUINCY — People are sick and tired of being sick and tired. But does the COVID-19 virus care about that? As the State of Illinois re-tightens its COVID protocols, a packed house at Quincy’s Holiday Inn heard people wanting local control back in government and a lawyer who has traveled statewide attempting to block governments […]
Attorney for three families files motion for temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction against Quincy School District
QUINCY — Motions for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction against the Quincy School District and superintendent Roy Webb were filed at the Adams County Courthouse late Monday afternoon by an attorney representing three Quincy families. The motions were filed by Thomas DeVore, a Sorento, Ill., attorney with Silver Lake Group, Ltd., in […]
Education, not arrests, to be focus when Quincy Police Department receives mask complaints
QUINCY — You won’t be taken away in handcuffs if you choose to defy Gov. JB Pritzker’s order to wear a mask indoors. A mask mandate inside buildings begins Monday across Illinois. Quincy Police Chief Rob Copley said Friday education will the focus of his staff when complaints are lodged by the public about masks […]
Tracy: Pritzker continues his unilateral rule
SPRINGFIELD – State. Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is “going it alone” with his pandemic decision-making as he announces more mask and vaccine mandates in light of rising COVID numbers in the state. Tracy wrote on her Facebook page the changes to Illinois’ COVID-19 mitigation plan are just the latest in […]
Critics of mask mandate say Pritzker acting like a ‘king’ with ‘mafia’ tactics
A member of Illinois’ Joint Committee on Administrative Rules says the Illinois State Board of Education needs to explain its authority to punish schools for following the governor’s mask mandate. About 51 of the more than 850 school districts in Illinois are on probation for not following Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate. Probation is the […]
CUSD No. 4 School Board votes to make masks mandatory, but fight with state ‘has just begun’
MENDON — Jessica Humke struggled to spit the word out of her mouth. “Yes.” Humke and six other members of the Community Unit School District No. 4 School Board voted Wednesday night at Unity Elementary School to follow Gov. JB Pritzker’s announcement this month that masks are required for students, teachers and staff at pre-K […]
Pritzker announces mandatory indoor masking regardless of vax status AND mandatory vaccines for teachers
State warns of decreasing intensive care bed capacity amid latest surge SPRINGFIELD – The statewide mask mandate indoors is back, and educators and health care professionals will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday amid an ongoing surge in the pandemic that first arrived in Illinois in March 2020. Beginning […]
Pritzker: “Yes, we are really going to do that”
CHICAGO – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker received a question Tuesday at a news conference asking if he was going to follow through with strict enforcement measures against local school districts that voted to remain mask-optional. Reporter: “So far, 51 school districts out of 859 are defying your mask mandate and allowing parental choice. Are you […]
Mask Mandate Update: Warsaw reverses course, CUSD 4 calls special meeting and Quincy’s St. James Lutheran is ‘nonrecognized’
The Illinois State Board of Education is updating its list of schools that have chosen to defy Governor JB Pritzker’s mask mandate. The Warsaw School Board voted 5-2 on Monday night to follow the mask mandate when the district returns from the Labor Day break on September 7. School officials met with ISBE representatives earlier […]
Muddy River News This Week: The Last Stand?
Warsaw native Steve Lucie of We Stand for Our Students, a community group concerned about parent choice regarding mask options, spoke during the Illinois State Board of Education’s meeting in Springfield on Aug. 18. He returned to Quincy for a taping of Muddy River News This Week, then attended the Warsaw School Board meeting. That’s […]
State school board gets pushback on mask mandate; parents, school officials argue for local control
SPRINGFIELD — A capacity crowd packed into the Illinois State Board of Education room on Wednesday as many more stood outside the building to protest the state’s new indoor mask mandate in all public and nonpublic schools. “I’m so tired of hearing how resilient our kids are. Resilience is something you choose,” said Ruby Johnson, […]
Central School Board reverses course, unanimously votes to uphold mask mandate
CAMP POINT, Ill. — Central’s teachers spoke. Central’s School Board listened. Six days after voting 3-2 to ignore Gov. JB Pritzker’s mask mandate for students, teachers and staff — regardless of vaccination status — the Central School Board reversed course Wednesday night. It voted 7-0 to make masks mandatory in all four school buildings in […]
Quincy School Board continues to hear mask complaints as classes begin
QUINCY – A smaller crowd turned out at Wednesday night’s Quincy School Board meeting a week after the Board voted to follow Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order mandating masks at Illinois Pre-K through 12 schools. And while most members of the 25 or so person crowd remained defiant and didn’t wear masks at the meeting, […]
No issues regarding mask mandate reported at Payson, Quincy schools on first day
Classes started Wednesday without incident at several schools around Adams County as students followed state mask mandates in the Payson and Quincy school districts. Students arrived at Payson Elementary School with backpacks, school supplies and smiles hiding behind their masked faces. Principal Julie Phelan met families outside and greeted students. She gently reminded a few […]
Masks now mandatory in Payson, but School Board vows to join other districts in fight to regain local control
PAYSON, Ill. — Chanse Barker grew tired of the fight. His “yes” vote was part of the 5-1 vote by the Payson School Board on Monday night to amend the Return to School plan for Community Unit School District No. 1 to make masks mandatory for all students, teachers and staff — regardless of vaccination […]
Tracy: Schools who buck mask mandate “risk losing both federal and state funding”
State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) said she believes Governor JB Pritzker’s executive order and administrative rules give them “the upper hand” in being able to mandate masks in Illinois schools. Tracy gave an update on Facebook over the weekend and said she was appealing to the governor to “help them recognize the importance of allowing […]
‘The governor has just blatantly made it political’: Central School Board votes to highly recommend masks
CAMP POINT, Ill. — The Central School Board voted 3-2 Thursday night to highly recommend its students wear masks for the upcoming school year, but Nikki Buehler celebrated for only a moment. “The work is not done,” she said after the meeting. “We have to get ready for the fight now.” Buehler is a parent […]
Quincy School Board votes to uphold Webb’s recommendation to follow mask mandate
QUINCY — The Quincy School Board voted 5-2 on Wednesday morning to follow Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate for pre K-12 students, which was also the recommendation of Quincy Superintendent Roy Webb. Sayeed Ali, Shelley Arns, Rachel Petty, Carol Nichols and LaTonya Brock voted for the mandate. Richard McNay and Jim Whitfield opposed it. About […]
Schmitt says he will challenge St. Louis mask mandate for all indoor places
By KAITLYN SCHALLHORNThe Missouri Times Hours after St. Louis said it would implement a mask mandate, Attorney General Eric Schmitt vowed to challenge the order in court. And at least one mayor has said he will not penalize businesses that choose not to enforce the mandate. Both the city and county of St. Louis said they would begin requiring masks […]
