Police Called After Group Refuses To Wear Masks At D26 Meeting

CARY, IL — The Cary Community Consolidated School District 26 school board will move a meeting online Monday after a group refused to wear masks while at an Aug. 30 meeting, school officials said.

The group assembled at the meeting and were reminded several times of the state's mask mandate, but still would not put on a mask, according to a statement from the District 26 Board of Education. School officials also offered to provide them with masks.

The incident led to the school board delaying its meeting. The Cary Police Department was called to the meeting at Cary Junior High School and the meeting attendees still refused to put on a mask or leave the building even after being told to do so by police officers, according to the Northwest Herald.

"We have an obligation to the community to conduct the business of the School District
in a safe and timely manner, and as adults, we share a responsibility to model the
behaviors we teach and expect D26 students to display in their classrooms and around
the community," according to the D26 school board statement. "This includes expressing differences in opinions in a respectful, honorable way, in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. This is not about stopping people from expressing their opinions. We encourage participation from the community, but only when it’s done in a safe, civilized and respectful manner."

According to the police report obtained by the Northwest Herald, officers took down the license plate numbers of cars in the parking lot at the meeting, and two officers stayed through the rest of the meeting.

“It was determined we would attempt to identify the people in attendance who were not wearing masks and report them to the McHenry County Department of Health,” according to the report.

Since District 26 "health and safety rules" were violated during the meeting, where the group became"disruptive and uncivil," the remainder of the school board meeting was delayed, according to the school board statement. School officials also announced the finance and budget hearing portion of the meeting will be moved online and will not be held in person.

"We believe the virtual platform is the best way to conduct the business of the
District at this time, and the remaining agenda items will be moved to September’s
Regular Board Meeting," according to the school board statement.