21 IL School Districts Placed On Probation For Disregarding Masks

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Since Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced a school mask mandate Aug. 4, the Illinois State Board of Education has placed 21 school districts on probation for refusing to adhere to the requirement. Pritzker and health officials say masks are necessary for both students and staff to slow the spread of COVID-19, specifically the more-contagious delta variant, among school-age children.

School districts in Adams, Clay, Clinton, Edwards, Effingham, Franklin, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Jefferson, Knox, Livingston, Macon, Marion, Peoria, Randolph, Wayne and Winnebago counties were or are subject to having their state recognition pulled if they do not reverse their policies. All are public school districts serving pre-kindergarten through high school students.

"These districts confirmed that they were not complying with the universal indoor masking requirement," ISBE spokeswoman Jaklyn Matthews wrote in a statement. "These districts now have the opportunity to meet with ISBE and to submit a corrective action plan to address the deficiencies that are presenting a danger to students and staff."

Losing recognition status will mean a school no longer has access to state funding and will not be able to partake in Illinois High School Association or Illinois Elementary School Association sports and activities. It also means graduating seniors' diplomas will not be accepted by the state.

Timothy Christian Schools in Elmhurst had its recognition status removed on Aug. 11 due to a dispute over mandatory masking. Board members later agreed to enforce masks once classes begin.

State board of education Superintendent Carmen Ayala and Pritzker are the subjects of a lawsuit filed on behalf of a parent in one of the Clinton County districts. The suit challenges Pritzker's authority to enforce masking rules over local school boards' authority to make them optional.

"We have the legal authority to enforce this, and we will if necessary," Pritzker said in response to questions on the mandate's legality. "What we think is going to happen is that schools will follow this [and] do the right thing."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, recommend masks indoors for children. Anyone age 11 and younger is not yet eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

A list of schools that have been placed on probation:

• Carlyle CUSD 1
• Benton CCSD 47
• Spoon River Valley CUSD 4
• Warsaw CUSD 316
• Patoka CUSD 100
• Red Bud CUSD 132
• Durand CUSD 322
• North Clay CUSD 25
• Ewing Northern CCSD 115
• West Central CUSD 235
• Meridian CUSD 15
• Wayne City CUSD 100
• North Wayne CUSD 200
• La Harpe CSD 347
• Field CCSD 3
• Beecher City CUSD 20
• Edwards County CUSD 1
• Flanagan-Cornell Dist 74
• Abingdon-Avon CUSD 276
• Brimfield CUSD 309
• Central CUSD 3