By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – Republicans reacted to Gov. JB Pritzker’s mask mandate for schools by deploying phrases such as “power trip,” “go it alone,” and “cut out a co-equal branch of government.”
As for State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), who wants to oust Pritzker:
“Gov. Pritzker put his personal political agenda in front of what we know to be in the best interest of our students and their education,” said Bailey in a Zoom news conference shortly after the governor’s announcement. “Gov. Pritzker once again wants to force mask mandates on school children. This unilateral move – without engaging the legislature – does not make him a leader. It makes him a failure.”
Bailey may sue.
Reaction from other Illinois Republicans, the first two being candidates for governor in 2022:
“This is about control – not about science. We know that kids are at a low risk for the virus. Our kids had a rough year last year thanks to Governor Pritzker’s policies. We should allow local school boards to work with parents and students to set mask policies at the local level, instead of Pritzker’s one-size-fits-all solution. We need bold leadership, and we need to protect the rights of parents to make decisions for themselves and their children. I stand opposed to Governor Pritzker’s decision to infringe on parental rights.” – Gary Rabine
“JB Pritzker’s mandatory vaccination order for state workers is inconsistent with the civil liberties that I spent 24 years on active duty defending. Furthermore, his P-12 education mask mandate usurps the authority of parents, school board members, and superintendents, further undermining confidence in the rule of law. I vehemently disagree with Governor Pritzker’s action today.” – Paul Schimpf
“The governor’s continued unilateral, go-it-alone approach on pandemic decision-making actively undermines the state’s ability to have broadly accepted mitigation strategies. The Governor encourages the public to be ‘all in Illinois’, but he himself refuses to be ‘all in’ with state and local elected officials who better understand their geographic areas and their communities’ needs. If he really wants to achieve the best possible mitigation results, he would abandon this singular approach and instead bring others to the governing table to ensure that mitigation efforts will be broadly accepted by the populace and effectively implemented. By continuing to exclude other state and local leaders, he is failing the people of Illinois who need statewide coordination, input and buy in from the public.” – Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods)
“For over a year, the Governor cut out a co-equal branch of government and ruled the state with unilateral authority instead of working collaboratively to handle the Covid-19 pandemic in Illinois. Governor Pritzker must put this continuing power trip aside and allow local health departments, elected officials, schools and most importantly, parents, to make decisions on these serious issues to help stop the spread of Covid-19.” – House Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs)
“When the COVID-19 pandemic first began, then House Speaker Madigan was happy to let the legislature sit on the sidelines and allow the Governor to issue unilateral decision after decision. It’s a year and a half since the pandemic began, we have a wealth of more information about COVID-19 and how to treat it, and a new Speaker Welch who promised a ‘new day’ with a more involved and open House of Representatives. If that is the case, then the Speaker should call the House back into session so the legislature can take an active role, as a co-equal branch of government, in whether or not to issue a new mask mandate in our schools or leave it up to the local officials, health leaders and parents to make the best decision for their communities and families. It’s long past time for the Governor to stop acting alone.” – State Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield)
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]
