Masked or Unmasked: Have IL School Changes Affected Your Child?

CHICAGO AREA, IL — After a downstate Illinois judge ruled in favor of a temporary restraining order, essentially allowing schools to lift their mask mandates, many schools have done just that. Others are only allowing children listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit to go mask-free, while some are requiring masks for all.

This means some schools have students attending with a mask on, while others are mask-free. Some teachers are telling parents to talk to their children about their decisions over masks and encourage kindness and respectful behavior. But bullying and teasing have been reported.

Wednesday afternoon, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to announce the state's indoor mask mandate could soon be phased out.

• Pritzker To Phase Out Mask Mandate In Illinois: Reports
  

But the plan to gradually remove the indoor mask mandate does not include the removal of the school mask mandate, sources told NBC. Pritzker is continuing to fight a Sangamon County judge's ruling voiding school mask requirements, and said he has asked Attorney General Kwame Raoul to ask another judge to quickly overturn the ruling.

Pritzker's announcement could further fuel the flames of some parents already outraged by the lifting of mask mandates in schools, or lead to more blowback from parents who want to see everyone mask-free.

We want to hear from you: What's happening in your child's school? Has your child been bullied, or is he/she worried about being bullied? Let us know in our survey.

More on Patch

• IL School Mask Ruling 'Cultivates Chaos,' Gov. JB Pritzker Says
• Pritzker To Phase Out Mask Mandate In Illinois: Reports
• Mask Mandate Lifted For D70 Staff, Students
• No Masks Required For D128 Students Listed In Lawsuit
• District 303 Will Not Require Masks