Parent’s petition against face mask mandate for students gets notice

An “End the Mask Mandate” petition a New Lenox parent started less than two weeks ago had slightly more than 1,200 signatures Tuesday.

Lisa Ruesch, who created the petition through change.org, also wrote a letter to the New Lenox District 122 School Board last week asking why face masks on students at District 122 should be the parent’s choice.

Ruesch said Tuesday that District 122 did reach out to her and other parents about their concerns and that their concerns were heard.

District 122 also sent a letter to families July 16 with the explanation that their actions were part of it updating its mitigation procedures, especially in regard to face masks. District 122 officials said they would share the updated comprehensive plan with families the last week of July.

“They are taking everything into consideration and are going to make the decision that is best for everyone, whatever that is,” Ruesch said. “I know a lot of schools around the area have made decisions. I don’t know what the answer is. It’s hard for kids right now.”

District 122 Superintendent Lori R. Motsch said the goal is to return as much normalcy as possible to the District 122 school community, which includes 4,913 students and 560 staff members in 12 schools.

“Currently we have a group of parents who want face masks to be optional,” Motsch said. “And then with the recent American Academy of Pediatrics guidance that came out yesterday, we’ve got a group of parents who want us to require masking.”

Motsch said the District 122 wants to do its “due diligence” with updating the comprehensive plan especially when “dealing with variables that are ever-changing.”

She said she how the district published its “Return-To-Learn Plan” for full-time, in-person learning in 2020 just days before making the switch to remote learning.

“It was a hardship for staff, it was hard on families,” Motsch said. “We’re just taking a bit more time to make our decision this summer.”

She said she is proud that District 122 later had 111 days of full-time, in-person learning in the 2021-21 school year while having no COVID-19 outbreaks in school.

Motsch said a meeting of Will County superintendents will take place this Thursday, as well as that District 122 is in contact with schools that feed into the Lincoln-Way district.

“We’re very close to making a decision,” Motsch said. “We just want to make sure we have all the information we need to protect all of the students and families.”

Ruesch said that when District 122 does release its plan for the 2021-22 school year, parents will then individually make the choice they feel is best for their families – be it returning to District 122, seeking out private schools or homeschooling, she said.

Ruesch said she is still glad she started the petition, even if face masks will be required. She said some people were concerned that Ruesch might experience backlash, but she said she couldn’t let that worry her.

“It was eating me up alive, sitting back and not doing anything,” Ruesch said. “I just felt like I had to stand up and do something, whether or not it made a difference. In my eyes, at least I knew I tried.”