Summit Hill D161 Emergency Board Meeting Scheduled For Tuesday

FRANKFORT, IL — The Summit Hill School District 161 Board of Education has called for an emergency meeting Tuesday in Frankfort to discuss possible changes to its COVID-19 policies in light of a recent court ruling that made some policies "null and void."

The board cancelled its Policy Committee meeting Monday so that the full board could be available to participate in Tuesday's emergency meeting, according to an email sent Monday by Summit Hill D161 Superintendent Paul McDermott.

The meeting comes as other school boards across the state — including Frankfort's other school district, Frankfort School District 157-C, and Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 — have revised some of their COVID-19 policies, such as switching from "mask required" to "mask optional" policies.

Related:

• Frankfort SD157-C Mask Optional Following Court Ruling
• Lincoln-Way D210 Goes Mask Optional Following Court Ruling
• IL School Mask Ruling 'Cultivates Chaos,' Gov. JB Pritzker Says
• Judge Blocks School Mask Mandate, Voids COVID-19 Emergency Orders

Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow ruled Friday that Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration had, with emergency orders the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health issued on Sept. 17, 2021, improperly delegated authority that state lawmakers had granted to public health officials. Grischow's ruling is a Temporary Restraining Order against those mandates.

Summit Hill SD161 was not one of the approximately 150 defendants in that case. Although her ruling only directly applies to the plaintiffs named in the case, Grischow noted that "Any non-named Plaintiffs and School Districts throughout this State may govern themselves accordingly," leaving the door open for all school districts to enact their own policies.

Also as part of her ruling, Grischow said unvaccinated school staff who do not want to be required to be vaccinated or take weekly COVID-19 tests must be afforded due process.

On Monday, Pritzker said the "ruling is out of step with the vast majority of legal analysis in Illinois and across the nation." The governor said he has asked Attorney General Kwame Raoul to ask another judge to quickly overturn the ruling.

The Summit Hill SD161 Board of Education will first discuss in open session the court's Temporary Restraining Order, then go into closed session before returning to open session to take possible action in regards to COVID-19 policies, according to the agenda for the meeting. Public comments will be allowed following the board's action.

Tuesday's emergency board meeting is open to the public and will also be available for live audio streaming. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Mary Drew Administrative Center, 20100 S. Spruce Drive in Frankfort. Social distancing and masks are required. Those who wish to listen to the meeting can do so by following this link.