State Representative Tom Weber (R-Lake Villa) joined colleagues in sending a letter to Governor Pritzker demanding he take action for the long-term education and mental health of our children by removing the statewide school mask mandate.
A judge recently ruled that the Pritzker administration lacked the authority to dictate a statewide school masking policy. As a result, many schools made the decision Monday to go mask optional, and others were left confused as to whether they could take action or not. The turmoil resulted in chaos, and anger on the part of parents and students. In response, Governor Pritzker announced yesterday that he was lifting the mask mandate for everyone except for students.
After the announcement, Rep. Weber, along with House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Westmont) and other colleagues sent a letter to Governor Pritzker asking for immediate action to free students from the blanket mask mandate and to withdraw his current appeal against the recent judicial ruling. The letter was also addressed to Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
The letter cited studies from Europe and Florida which found little to no effect on the masking of students on the spread of COVID-19, as well as the bounty of evidence on the minimal risk COVID-19 poses to children.
In the letter, House Republicans said the current chaos is a result of the Governor’s continued effort to bypass the legislature:
“Judge Grischow’s ruling is another example that your refusal to work with the legislature or allow locally elected schools boards to make decisions that fit their communities best is creating chaos that need not exist. Governor, like it or not, this rests with you and how you have sought to go it alone with your Executive Orders, not with the Judge.”
Rep. Weber added, “Disappointingly, if schools, parents, or students were looking for answers yesterday from the Governor, they found none. The Governor needs to acknowledge the evidence on school masking and drop his appeal. It’s past time to return control over their kids and students to parents and local school boards.”
The letter can be viewed below:
