Masks Still Required In Oswego District 308 Despite Judge Ruling

Oswego IL

08 February, 2022

11:00 AM

Description

OSWEGO, IL — Students at Oswego Community Unit School District 308 will still be required to wear masks despite a Sangamon County judge granting a temporary restraining order that voids certain emergency COVID-19 rules in schools. Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow's ruling voids policies adopted in 2021 by the Pritzker administration, Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Department of Public Health. According to the judge, students can choose not to wear a mask, and unvaccinated school staff who don't want to be vaccinated or tested weekly must be afforded due process. District 308 was among the 150 school districts named in the lawsuit, but Superintendent of Schools John W. Sparlin said based on their own safety plan, which is dependent on local metrics, the district would continue requiring masks and close contact exclusions from school. RELATED: Judge Blocks School Mask Mandate, Voids COVID-19 Emergency Orders "While the TRO prevents the school district from relying on Governor Pritzker's Executive Orders, it does not change our district's independent requirements contained in Board Policy 7:165 and the safety plan adopted by the Board of Education on Aug. 12, 2021," Sparlin wrote in a message sent to families Sunday. According to the district's plan, masks will be recommended instead of mandatory when there are less than 9.99 new cases per 100,000 people — meaning low transmission — within the four zip codes District 308 encompasses. The area is currently in high transmission, with 461.4 new cases per 100,000 people as of Feb. 4, according to Sparlin. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul will seek an expedited appeal of the downstate judge's order and said he remains committed to defending Gov. J.B. Pritzker's executive orders, Patch reported. Sparlin said officials district officials will wait to see if the temporary restraining order will be upheld and keep their current mitigation strategies in the meantime. 'Please reinforce with your children the requirements to be masked in school and to follow the other mitigation measures that are all still in effect in the District," Sparlin wrote. "We understand that this situation is evolving and emotions are high. We appreciate your cooperation as we all share the same goal of educating students in the safest environment possible."