Marshall, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) — Effective immediately, Illinois schools are updating their COVID-19 mask guidelines as students are set to return to the classroom.
Marshall Community Schools will make masks recommended, not required, according to an email sent out by Superintendent Kevin Ross.
“Marshall Schools Community, due to significant legal questions raised by a ruling by Judge Grischow, of the Circuit Court in Sangamon County, who has declared IDPH’s Emergency Rules void, Marshall Schools, beginning Monday, February 7, will modify COVID mitigations to Masks Recommended, but not required. As has been the case throughout, this situation is fluid, so any further changes will be shared as they occur. Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation. “
Marshall Community Schools Superintendent Kevin Ross
Masks will also be recommended in the Paris Community School districts.
Below is the full letter sent to parents by Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Larson.
This change in policy follows the recent ruling by a judge in central Illinois blocking Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mandate requiring students to wear masks in the classroom.
He adds in the letter pending the appeal of the court, students could be required to wear masks again.
Masks will be required on school buses per federal guidelines. Social distancing will be practiced in classrooms.
Superintendent of Casey-Westfield Schools Jon Julius said in a news release Monday that although his district was not named in the cases ruled upon, the change will still affect the district. Effectively immediately, masks will be recommended, not required, for all students, staff and visitors at Casey-Westfield schools, the release said.
“I expect an appeal decision to be made on this… in the next couple weeks,” Julius said in the release.
Superintendent of Hustonville Schools Julie Kraemer said the district will continue to have masks be recommended, not required.
On Monday, Gov. Pritzker filed an appeal of the ruling:
“Judge Raylene Grischow’s ruling is out of step with the vast majority of legal analysis in Illinois and across the nation,” Pritzker said, claiming her ruling “cultivates chaos”. “The judge has created a tremendous amount of confusion even in the way she wrote her decision,” he said.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker
This is a developing story. Follow MyWabashvValley.com for more updates.
