COVID-19 Updates from Dr. Schuler
District 200 School Community,
As we shared yesterday, District 200, along with more than 140 other school districts in Illinois, was named in a lawsuit that is one of several actions that have been filed on behalf of students and staff members regarding state mandates required upon schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions have been consolidated before a single judge. There are many details involved in this litigation. Our goal in this communication is to explain what the recent ruling in the litigation means for our students and staff.
The Judge who presided over the litigation issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) late Friday afternoon, February 4. The Judge’s ruling halts enforcement of the Governor’s Executive Order on masking, vaccination, testing, and quarantining for close contacts for named school districts without proper due process. This means that as of today, District 200 will recommend, and not require, individuals to wear face coverings and quarantine if they are a close contact. District 200 will also recommend, but not require, unvaccinated staff to test weekly.
District 200 will continue with in-person instruction and other current mitigation efforts, including the ability to exclude COVID-19 symptomatic individuals, implement physical distancing, and continue SHIELD testing for those already signed up who choose to participate.
Beginning Monday, February 7, we recommend continued use of face coverings, as it aligns with current CDC and IDPH Guidance for Schools; however, we will temporarily suspend our Board Policy on Face Coverings. Face coverings are still required to be worn on any school-based transportation (buses, taxis, driver’s education) consistent with Federal requirements.
I fully realize that this is a sudden change in how our schools have been operating and it will be met with differing responses from our school community members. Regardless of your family or personal choice about masking, I am asking everyone to lead with kindness and respect. It is important that we are respectful of each other’s personal decisions. We will not tolerate bullying or disrespectful behavior of any kind.
Finally, please understand that just as we previously followed state mandates to require face coverings on school grounds, we will now adhere to this Judge’s ruling. It is important to note that the State of Illinois has indicated that they plan to appeal the judge’s ruling, so this situation can change, and we could revert back to implementing the COVID-19 mitigation measures we have had since the start of the school year. This could occur this week or in the next few weeks depending on what happens at the Appellate Court level. From the beginning of this pandemic, we have committed to our school community that we will follow the guidelines, and we will continue to do so.
The health and safety of our students and staff continue to be a priority for us. I ask for your patience as we continue to navigate through the pandemic, together. We will continue to share additional information as it becomes available.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jeff Schuler
Superintendent of Schools
