Illinois school mask mandate to be lifted Monday, Pritzker says after IL Supreme Court denies appeal
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker said he will lift his mask mandate for schools on Monday, the same day it ends for most other indoor settings in the state.
This comes after the Illinois Supreme Court declined to hear the Governor's motion to appeal a judge's ruling against the mandate.
The state's high court decided the issue is moot because none of the rules mandating the masks are currently in effect.
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This likely does not impact Chicago Public Schools, where masks are still required, because of the district's safety agreement with the teachers union.
In early February, a downstate judge ruled in favor of a group of parents from across the state who sued over the mask requirement.
In a statement, Gov. JB Pritzker said: "I'm gratified that the Supreme Court vacated the lower court's restraining order, meaning that if a school mask mandate needs to go into effect in the future, we continue to have that authority. I'm also extremely pleased to say that because the CDC has recommended that masks are needed only in areas of high transmission, the State of Illinois will move forward to remove our school mask mandate, effective Monday. We will recommend that all school districts follow CDC guidance and will update our existing guidance in the coming days."
