CHSD 218 High Schools To Go ‘Mask Optional’

OAK LAWN, IL — Starting Tuesday, Feb. 22, face masks will become optional for students and staff at Richards, Shepard and Eisenhower high schools. Dist. 218 announced the mask optional policy on the respective high schools’ websites. Masks are still required to be worn on school buses because they are under federal law.

Earlier this week, several parents spoke out against the mask mandate at the CHSD 218 Board of Education meeting, asking board members to adopt a resolution to follow the Sangamon County judge’s ruling. The motion to adopt the mask optional resolution, however, was tabled until the Illinois 4th District Appellate Court was able to provide clarification whether unnamed parties in a lawsuit filed by parents in 146 school districts applied to them.

“As you are aware, the mask mandate issue has continued to cause confusion and, in some cases, conflict within our communities and within our schools,” Dist. 218 Supt. Ty Harting said in the announcement.

While the district has vowed to follow Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate requiring face coverings to be worn in CHSD 218 high schools, the recent ruling of the Sangamon Circuit Court on mask mandates did not provide clarification. That ruling was appealed to the Illinois 4th District Appellate Court.

A bipartisan legislative committee, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, voted Tuesday against the governor’s continued authority for a mask mandate pending the Appellate Court’s opinion. To date, no opinion has been published.

“Based on the JCAR ruling and absent any court ruling in the interim, (and because COVID rates have dropped significantly in our area), masks will become optional – but strongly encouraged – effective Tuesday, February 22. (School is not in session on Friday, February 18 and Monday, February 21).”

Harting noted that Dist. 218 reserves the right to re-institute mandatory mask wearing if local infection rates warrant it or if masking is required by law.

“The district strongly encourages everyone – students, staff, and visitors – to continue wearing masks to help keep our schools safe and open as they have been all year. In addition, the district is asking everyone to be respectful of individual choices of staff and students to wear or not wear a mask now that the district is entering a mask optional environment. Please continue to be cognizant of the safety protocols that make everyone feel more safe.”

The high school district also laid out some other recommendations and guidelines:

• Masks in School and Extracurriculars - Although they are strongly recommended, masks are no longer required for students or staff of CHSD 218 during the school day and/or during extracurricular activities.
• Masks on Buses - Masks are currently still required for all staff, students, and drivers on school buses per requirements by the Federal Transit Administration.
• COVID Testing At School - CHSD 218 will continue to offer saliva-based PCR COVID testing at school for staff and students who become symptomatic at school/work.
• Other Mitigation Measures - CHSD 218 will continue to encourage social distancing whenever possible, as well as continuing enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes. CHSD 218 continues to strongly recommend frequent hand washing for all staff and students.