Masks Recommended, Not Required In District 214

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Township High School District 214, one of 145 school districts named in the Austin v. Pritzker lawsuit brought by parents across the state last year, is no longer requiring students and staff to wear masks, effective Monday.

The change in policy, according to the district, is in response to a Sangamon County judge issuing a temporary restraining order Friday declaring that certain emergency rules adopted last year by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education are void. The ruling means that students who do not want to wear a mask and unvaccinated school staff who do not want to be required to be vaccinated or take weekly COVID-19 tests must be afforded due process.

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District 214 said wearing masks is "strongly recommended" for all students, staff and visitors while in district buildings.

"As this ruling does not apply to school-provided transportation, masks will still be required to be worn on school buses, activity buses and taxis, due to the Federal CDC order," the district said in a statement.

Students who test positive for COVID-19 will still have to isolate, according to the district. Close contacts of students and staff will not need to continue to quarantine unless directed to by the local health department.

As a result of the judge’s ruling, the district said it will no longer be collecting weekly tests for unvaccinated staff and those students in the COVID-19 test to stay program.

In response to the lawsuit, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul will seek expedited appeal of the order, which came in response to several lawsuits filed against nearly 170 school districts by parents and school staff.