Elmhurst 205 Board Decides On Masks

ELMHURST, IL — The Elmhurst School District 205 board on Wednesday approved a pandemic plan for the fall that makes masks optional for all students — vaccinated and unvaccinated alike.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comments from parents. Most pushed for an optional policy, while a few called for a mask mandate.

Two weeks ago, Keisha Campbell, the district's new superintendent, proposed making masks optional for students. She stuck with that plan at Monday's special school board meeting. This is in line with many area school districts, but in opposition to the CDC's recommendation for wearing masks in school regardless of vaccination status.

In her presentation, Campbell emphasized that people respect families' decisions on masks. She also said quarantines would be minimized this year. Last year, the district quarantined students more than 5,200 times for having close contact with those testing positive for the coronavirus. Only 13 of those quarantined ended up being positive themselves.

Campbell also told the board the district would pivot if conditions changed. But she promised that whatever the case, the district would not close schools.

The board praised the superintendent's plan.

"My first priority is to keep kids physically in school for as many days as possible and do what it takes to do that. That means avoiding quarantining healthy kids," member Jim Collins said.

At the same time, he said the board should recognize that the state would likely mandate masks in schools in the next three weeks.

Member Karen Stuefen said she understood the importance of safety in schools, but that issue needed to be balanced with educational needs. Because of the pandemic's effects on schools, she said, many students fell behind in learning.

"We have heard from our students throughout this pandemic, and it's serious," Stuefen said.

Member Chris Kocinski said board members received hundreds of messages about the mask issue.

"I want to speak to all those folks. We do take those (comments) to heart and read them," he said. "Those who disagreed with my views, they were very thoughtful."

Yet another member, Beth Hosler, echoed the superintendent's call for respecting families' mask decisions.

"We just don't know what everyone's situation is," Hosler said. "We don't know why people are making the choices they are making."

The board voted unanimously for the superintendent's plan. Member Athena Arvanitis was absent.

The district serves more than 8,000 students.