Parents file lawsuit against three Central Illinois school districts over mask mandate

Posted on February 16, 2022

The lawsuit, filed by the Law Office of William J. Gerber, seeks to remove masks, testing isolation policies, under the legal argument that the state health department does not have the authority to enforce those rules. (WJBC file photo)

SPRINGFIELD – Three more school districts are being sued by parents over COVID prevention plans. McLean County Unit 5, Bloomington District 87, and Pontiac District 429 are named in this lawsuit being filed in Sangamon County.

Sangamon County is where a temporary restraining order was also issued against the governor’s mask mandate earlier this month.

The lawsuit, filed by the Law Office of William J. Gerber, seeks to remove masks, testing isolation policies, under the legal argument that the state health department does not have the authority to enforce those rules.

Technical issues have prevented this document from being accepted into the Sangamon County Court records. At least one of the the districts could drop their COVID mitigations before that.

Unit 5 has a special board meeting Wednesday, which was scheduled before the suit was filed. In a message to Unit 5 staff, Superintendent Kristen Weikle, said she was proposing changes to the district’s COVID prevention plans, including removing the mask mandate, but recommending them. Weikle says if approved, the changes will go into effect next week.

District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly said the district is aware of the lawsuit and their attorney is addressing it.

Now, it’s still unclear how quickly the lawsuit might be heard by a judge, but all of this plays out at the governor appeals the initial lawsuit.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…