Court decides in favor of parents and against forced masking and quarantines in school

New Trier to keep kids masked for now

(See below for an important update!)

Over 700 Illinois parents sued Governor Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Health, and 145 Illinois school districts over forced masking and quarantining of their children. The lawsuit, presented before Judge Raylene Grischow in Sangamon County, argued that Illinois law provides for quarantines (including a tool of quarantine like a mask) only if ordered by the local health department for a legitimate reason. Thomas DeVore, the attorney representing parents, argued that parents and children have been stripped of their due process rights by the blanket masking rules handed down by the governor. 

Yesterday, the judge ruled in favor of the parents in the suit, calling the overreach of the mandates a "type of evil" that "the law was intended to constrain." Governor Pritzker responded by requesting an expedited appeal, even suggesting that schools may need to go remote as a result of this ruling.

UPDATE: While the judge denied class action certification of the lawsuit, thus the ruling applies to the families involved in the suit, she had ruled that "non-named Plaintiffs and School Districts throughout this State may govern themselves accordingly." The ruling also declares IDPH’s Emergency Rules void.

Winnetka District 36, who was a defendant in the lawsuit, has become mask optional as a result.

Again, the ruling is a huge victory for common sense over government overreach.

In advance of the ruling, the New Trier High School Board of Education had already unanimously approved a resolution (1:01:40) that affirmed local control and continued current Covid policies including forcing students to mask up for now. But why? According to health experts across the board, cloth and surgical masks which is what the students are required to wear (vs. restrictive N-95 respirator masks) are all but useless against COVID viruses. The mainstream news outlet MSN summarizes the data here.

Even the Atlantic and CNN's favorite doctor Leana Wen are admitting that masks are largely theater and that forced masking needs to exit the stage.

Those who want to wear a mask should have that choice and those who want to follow the science and stop masking should have that choice, too. It's long past time.

This is story is bound to change -- stay tuned!
Why are
New Trier Board of Education Meetings
Suddenly a
"No Clapping Allowed" Zone?

In recent New Trier High School Board of Education meetings a variety of new voices have been exercising their first amendment rights and speaking in favor of optional masking, questioning how New Trier admins decide to weigh in on current events (e.g., they did on George Floyd, they did not on the Christmas parade massacre in Waukesha) -- as well as raising concerns about Marxist-derived philosophies that have been openly influencing America's education establishment for years. You can watch the board meeting here.

Of note, clapping after members of the public speak is no longer permitted per Cathy Albrecht, President of New Trier Board of Education. While such decisions are within the purview of the board, we noticed there is currently no prohibition against clapping or otherwise respectfully showing approval of speaker comments in the Board Procedure Guide. We wonder if they will next forbid giving a thumbs up or other forms of expression!

If you haven't attended a school board meeting, please think about doing so. It is very helpful to understand the people who make school policy and oversee your tax dollars, and observe how they respond to different interests in the community.

The next board meeting is Tuesday, February 22, at 6:30 p.m. at the Northfield Campus. Bookmark this page to find the agenda (usually released by the Friday before the board meeting) and other board meeting information.