Illinois judge temporarily restrains state-wide school masking, quarantine rules
A Sangamon County judge struck down Gov. Pritzker’s masking, quarantine, and vaccination-or-test executive orders as well as IDPH COVID-19 emergency rules in the school setting this evening.
February 4, 2022
An Illinois county court judge issued a temporary restraining order against school mask mandates and quarantine orders across the state Friday afternoon.
In a decision on four lawsuits filed against Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and more than 140 public school districts, Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow struck down several of the IDPH’s emergency rules, which expedite the process of ordering quarantine for COVID-19 infection and close contact and provide a legal framework school mask mandates.
She also restrained defendants from enforcing the governor’s mask mandate, quarantine and vaccination-or-test executive orders, the last of which applies to school employees.
As of now, Naperville District 203 administrators will consult with attorneys to determine the impact of this ruling on current COVID mitigation efforts, Superintendent Dan Bridges wrote in a Feb. 4 community message.
“We will communicate with you as soon as possible on whether or how this ruling will impact Naperville 203 students and staff,” he wrote. “Thank you in advance for your patience as we review this decision and our plans.”
Central Times will continue to update this story as it develops.
