According to an estimate by the Illinois Association of School Administrators, approximately 700 of the roughly 850 school districts in Illinois have adopted a mask-optional policy for students.
The issue has been bitterly debated statewide for months, but Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order mandating universal masking in schools has prevented any deviation by local school boards.
That came to an abrupt stop earlier this month when a Sangamon county judge issued a temporary restraining order effectively nullifying Pritzker’s order. That was followed by the legislature’s rules committee, JCAR, refusing to renew the enabling rules giving Pritzker the authority to issue the order. Finally, the 4th District Appellate Court issued a ruling indicating that the temporary restraining order was moot because Pritzker’s order no longer has the force of law, basically throwing the masking decision back to local school boards.
While the vast majority of school districts have gone mask-optional, some of the largest districts are maintaining the mandate.
Chicago Public Schools, largely due to pressure from the Chicago Teachers Union, has indicated that its masking policy will stay in place. District U-46 in Elgin will continue to require masks but only if all three of the counties where its schools are located are at an 8% or higher COVID-19 positivity rate as defined by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Governor Pritzker is appealing to the Illinois Supreme Court to get his order restored.
The governor has announced that the statewide mask mandate for most businesses and other indoor facilities will be lifted on February 28.
