In light of Judge Raylene Grischow temporarily blocking Governor JB Pritzker’s mandate to require masks in Illinois public schools, District 219 reminded families that masks in school are still required.

“District 219 is maintaining its current mitigation measures including the mask requirement for all students, staff and visitors. In addition, the District will continue to follow current exclusion protocols as we monitor the appeal process,” superintendent Dr. Steven Isoye wrote.

Pritzker and Attorney General Kwame Rauol have since appealed Grischow’s Feb. 4 ruling.

The ruling has put a temporary restraining order on several COVID-related mandates made by Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The orders include:

• the Illinois public school mask mandate;
• requiring students and staff to test weekly for COVID in order to be allowed at school; and
• excluding close contacts of COVID-positive patients from school.

Since District 219 will continue to follow current mitigation measures, students and staff will still be advised to get a weekly SHIELD test. Students who are not up-to-date in vaccinations and students who are COVID positive will be required to isolate or quarantine.

This temporary restraining order affects nearly 150 school districts across Illinois. Some districts, like District 219, are continuing to require masks while tracking the appeals process. Lake Forest High School and Elementary districts were named in the lawsuit, and have subsequently suspended masking and exclusion requirements.

“When the case is fully settled, and a final decision made following all appeals, District 219 will work with our attorneys on the analysis of the court ruling,” Dr. Isoye wrote.

“The mask mandate is something that is truly indispensable for the safety of our school, especially at West, where the percentage of vaccinated students is so low. The mandate is helping keep every person in the building safe and its loss would be incredibly bad, to say the least,” junior Simon Solano said.

Per the Jan. 31 newsletter sent by Niles West principal Karen Ritter, the student vaccination rate as of Jan. 30 is 64.78% and the no-record of vaccination rate at 35.22%.

Some students of Niles West believe that mask mandate is necessary to keep everyone safe.

“Masking is just a simple way of doing everything you do in your day to day life while keeping the lives of other people safe. And it should be required so that no one has to go through the virus,” senior Jordan Westphal said.

Others are anxious to see it go.

“I think it’s annoying but as long as we have to do it I’ll do it and once it’s over I’ll be glad,” sophomore Ammar Husan said.

“I want the masks gone. They’re annoying,” senior Angelo Blanco said.

“I don’t think the mask mandate should be here anymore. After two to three years we’re all kind of sick of it and we kind of need to see a change,” sophomore Flavia Ardelean said.