House Speaker's Kids Go To Elmhurst Mask-Optional School

ELMHURST, IL — Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch's children have gone to an Elmhurst private school that is making masks optional, contrary to the governor's mask mandate that applies to all schools.

In a seven-minute video Wednesday, Timothy Christian Schools' superintendent, Matt Davidson, announced the mask policy. He said it wasn't "an act of defiance," only that the school was investigating the legality of the Gov. J.B. Pritzker's order.

In January, Welch, a Hillside Democrat, became House speaker, succeeding longtime Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat who had served at the helm for all but two years since 1982.

On Wednesday, Patch asked Welch's office about the speaker's position on the mask mandate, noting that his children have attended Timothy Christian.

In response, spokeswoman Jaclyn Driscoll said in an email, "The Speaker supports Governor Pritzker’s decision to listen to the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and our most trusted health professionals. He believes it should apply to all schools because this is about keeping our children safe, especially those who are too young for the vaccine."

Asked what Welch would do now that Timothy Christian is mask optional, Driscoll answered in a later email by referring to the governor's statements in a news conference. But she did not say how Welch would respond.

In June 2020, Welch appeared in an episode of the superintendent's "Late Night With Davidson," which is on the school's website. Davidson called Welch "a dear friend of mine," "a man that I trust" and "a fearless leader." At the time, Welch was a state representative, but had not yet been promoted to speaker.

During the interview, Welch said when he was dating his wife, ShawnTe Raines-Welch, she made it clear that she wanted their future children to attend the nondenominational Timothy Christian, where she went to elementary school. Welch, the state representative, said he and his family went to public schools in Proviso Township.

But he said he relented to his wife on the school issue, saying he believed in the saying, "Happy wife, happy life."

"I got to learn about Timothy Christian from her," Welch said. "I have to tell you that I love everything about it. I see the values you teach in our kids every day, using the example of what they did for our police officers in town."