Diocese Of Joliet Schools To Go Mask Optional Tuesday

NEW LENOX, IL — The Diocese of Joliet released a statement Monday indicating that it will reverse its mask policy from "mask required" to "mask recommended."

The Diocese of Joliet is the governing body for St. Jude in New Lenox, St. Joseph in Manhattan, St. Mary in Mokena and Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox.

In the statement, the Diocese of Joliet wrote that it consulted with its schools' principals on the "needs of their school community."

"After prayerful consideration, we are revising our masking guidance from 'mask required' to 'mask recommended,' effective February 8," The Diocese wrote.

The Diocese in its statement laid out additional steps it would take, including:

• A requirement for parents to sign a "mask use" form by Friday indicating whether their child will wear a mask.
• Applying the "mask recommended" policy to school personnel.
• Keeping all other COVID-19-related mitigations in place, including social distancing and weekly testing for school personnel who are not vaccinated.

Principals are being directed to consult with their pastors about mask wearing during Mass.

The "mask recommended" policy also applies to youth religious education programs.

The reversal in mask policy by the Diocese of Joliet comes as other school districts in the Lincoln-Way area made similar moves to go mask optional Monday.

Related:

• Judge Blocks School Mask Mandate, Voids COVID-19 Emergency Orders
• Lincoln-Way D210 Goes Mask Optional Following Court Ruling

Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow ruled Friday that the Pritzker 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.

None of the Catholic dioceses were named as any of about 150 other defendants in that case.

Although her ruling only directly applies to those 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 similar policies as the Diocese of Joliet.

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.