Mask Mandate: What If Elmhurst D-205 Ends It?

ELMHURST, IL — An Elmhurst School District 205 board member asked this week what would happen in the district countered the governor's mask mandate for schools.

Board member Jim Collins' question was later in the same meeting where audience members shouted down a speaker during public comments who refused to wear a mask. Collins noted most states have no such mandates and that they are not seeing dire consequences as a result.

"Our mask mandates, I think, will be eclipsed by the mental health crisis of our students, which has resulted from the mask mandate," Collins said at Tuesday's board meeting. "My understanding is that in neighboring districts, we have seven students who have committed suicide. Thank God, none in this district, but why do we tempt fate? My question is, if we were to go counter to the mask mandate, what are the consequences?"

Superintendent Keisha Campbell responded that the state has shown it takes "swift" action against schools that defy the mandate. In July, Campbell recommended a mask optional policy, which the school board approved. Then Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered a statewide mask requirement for schools.

Early on, the evidence of the state's swift action was seen in Elmhurst. In August, shortly after the governor issued his mandate, Elmhurst's Timothy Christian Schools, a private institution, decided to go mask optional.

Almost immediately, the state Department of Public Health announced it would immediately remove the state's recognition of Timothy Christian as a private school. That would have meant the school could no longer take part in school association sports. And the state would not recognize the school's diplomas. Within days, the school yielded to the state's pressure.

In a public school's case, the state could stop the flow of its money.

School board President Kara Caforio said the state has yet to give an indication about the off-ramp for things such as the mask mandate.

"There's nothing that tells us this will ever end," she said.

Collins said he was worried when the delta variant emerged over the summer, but the evidence showed that masks did not make a big difference.

"I think there are a lot of people looking for an off-ramp," he said.

Member Chris Kocinski said the state has yet to establish any criteria for school districts to escape pandemic-related mandates.

"Persisting in this environment where our constituents have no guidance from these agencies around when this could end is going to continue to create a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, and I don't think that's healthy," he said.