Dixon Public Schools will not enforce mask wearing, except on buses

DIXON — Dixon Public Schools will not enforce mask wearing in school but will require it on buses, Superintendent Margo Empen said in a letter issued Sunday.

Saying “this remains a very fluid situation,” Empen said the district will follow the temporary restraining order issued by Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Raylene Grischow that nullified Gov. JB Pritzker’s emergency provision from August.

Empen said the situation could change, especially if a hold is placed on the temporary order to allow the appeals process to continue.

However, the superintendent said students must still wear masks on school buses because federal rules governing student transportation remain in force.

The court issued the ruling Friday after arguments were made in a consolidated lawsuit brought by a Greenville attorney on behalf of students and some teachers that directly affects more than 100 school districts.

Because the issue of masks could be a point of contention, Empen said “we expect our students to arrive at school and remain respectful and compassionate towards each other. We expect teachers, staff and parents to treat one another with respect and compassion.”

She issued a reminder that the school’s bullying and harassment policy is in place.

This is the second letter issued by Empen on this issue.

In a Jan. 27 letter to parents she anticipated several outcomes and said at the time the district would confer with the district’s attorney to discuss the ramifications of any court ruling regarding the statewide COVID-19 mask requirement in schools and the subsequent appeal.

“There will be mixed feelings no matter what the decision is,” Empen wrote at that time. “Our community has had members feel strongly for and against masking mandates. This decision is especially impactful while the omicron variant is spiking in our community and county.”

In the letter Empen also thanked parents for their support, saying decision-making by the board “has not been taken lightly, but at all times driven out of respect for the rule of law and a desire to do our part to keep everyone healthy.”

Both the issue of masking requirements and updated reports of COVID-19 have occupied the board and administration.

At the Nov. 11 school board meeting, President Linda Wegner acknowledged receipt of 39 letters from residents urging the board to vote to join the lawsuit by Greenville attorney Thomas DeVore that resulted in Friday’s court order.

At the time, Wegner expressed hope that mask rules eventually would be relaxed, but that the board would not join existing litigation, saying “it does not need to be duplicated.”

Wegner also reiterated the board’s stance that “potential risks and public health issues of ignoring the mandate will never be higher than any risk of maintaining compliance.” She said the board would not revisit the mask policy decision that previously was made. As there was no action item on Nov. 11 meeting agenda, it would not be voting on the request.

At the Jan. 19 meeting, Empen received a letter from a staff member who said the reporting of COVID-19 case data seemed to have conflicting information. In response, Empen said she would include attribution and source information for all data points reported by district.

Neither Sterling Public Schools nor Rock Falls High School districts posted any information as of Saturday directly referring to the mask mandate or the court order.

In northwest Illinois, Erie District 1 and River Bend District 2 in Fulton are named as defendants in the lawsuit. As of Saturday neither district had posted information relating to the ruling.