Skip to content

Court dismisses Gov. Pritzker’s mask rules in schools

“The existence of an actual controversy is a prerequisite for appellate jurisdiction, and a reviewing court will generally not decide matters that are abstract, hypothetical, or moot,” the appeals court ruled.

Associated Press Chicago Journal
Associated Press / Chicago Journal
3 min read
Court dismisses Gov. Pritzker’s mask rules in schools

By JOHN O'CONNOR | Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — An Illinois appeals court has dismissed an appeal of a judge’s ruling that invalidated Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s requirement that masks be worn in schools to prevent the spread of COVID-19.



The ruling late Thursday comes about two weeks after a central Illinois judge invalidated the mask mandate and a week after the Democratic governor lifted the requirement that face coverings be worn in most indoor spaces — but not for schools — as the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations plummet.[1]

Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow on Feb. 4 rendered the order “null and void.” She agreed with students and teachers from more than 150 school districts that no one could be excluded from school for health reasons without family consent or a public health order.[2]

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul [appealed the ruling Feb. 7], seeking a temporary restraining order.[3] He argued enforcing Grischow's ruling could mean “widespread transmission” of the coronavirus “within schools and in the broader community, increased hospitalizations and deaths, and school staff shortages” leading to a return to remote learning or even school closures.

Pritzker argued the ruling only applied to the school districts named in the lawsuits. He counseled any district not covered by Grischow's order to continue requiring masks for students and staff.

The judge's decree also invalidated other Pritzker orders, including required vaccinations for school employees.

The appellate court sought additional information this week after a legislative oversight commission weighed in against school masks.[4] Pritzker implemented emergency rules for masks in schools on Sept. 17. When the Illinois Department of Public Health sought to reinstate them this week, they needed an OK from the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a bipartisan, bicameral panel of legislators. Seeking more involvement from the Legislature, the committee voted unanimously against adoption.

The appeals ruled that Pritzker's order was moot because of the committee decision.

“The existence of an actual controversy is a prerequisite for appellate jurisdiction, and a reviewing court will generally not decide matters that are abstract, hypothetical, or moot,” the appeals court ruled.

The drama plays out before a landscape of declining COVID-19 danger a month after illness from the highly contagious omicron variant peaked. New cases and hospitalizations have fallen so far that Pritzker declared on Feb. 9 that the requirement for face coverings at most indoor locations would be lifted on Feb. 28.


Subscribe to the Chicago Journal


The Chicago Journal needs your support.

At just $20/year, your subscription not only helps us grow, it helps maintain our commitment to independent publishing.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE




  1. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21254145-illinois-mask-appeal-ruling ↩︎

  2. Press, Associated. “Illinois Judge Blocks School Mask Mandate, State Plans to Appeal.” Chicago Journal. Chicago Journal, February 5, 2022. https://www.chicagojournal.com/illinois-judge-blocks-school-mask-mandate-state-plans-to-appeal/. ↩︎

  3. Press, Associated. “Illinois AG Kwame Raoul Officially Appeals School Mask Ruling.” Chicago Journal. Chicago Journal, February 7, 2022. https://www.chicagojournal.com/illinois-ag-kwame-raoul-appeals-school-mask-ruling/. ↩︎

  4. Spearie, Steven. “What You Need to Know about the Latest Illinois Schools Mask Mandate Ruling by JCAR.” The State Journal-Register. State Journal-Register, February 17, 2022. https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/2022/02/16/what-next-mask-mandate-illinois-schools/6812366001/. ↩︎

Illinois NewsNewsIllinois PoliticsPoliticsLawEducation

Associated Press Twitter

News and content from The Associated Press, which has been covering the world's most important stories since 1846.

Chicago Journal Twitter

The Chicago Journal is a general interest, digital publication focused on the political, cultural, and economic issues relevant to the city of Chicago and the surrounding metro area.


Related

Supreme Court upholds cash-free bail in Illinois, takes effect in September

Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis ordered that the halt on the law be lifted 60 days after Tuesday's opinion, on Sept. 18, 2023.

Supreme Court upholds cash-free bail in Illinois, takes effect in September

Mississippi River crests at Davenport, testing barriers

The peak was slightly lower than forecast but still high enough to test the region's flood defenses and to keep officials on guard. Many larger cities have flood walls but Davenport relies on temporary sand-filled barriers and allows the river to flood in riverfront parks.

Mississippi River crests at Davenport, testing barriers

`Multiple fatalities' on Illinois highway following crashes

The crashes occurred late in the morning and involved 40 to 60 passenger cars and multiple tractor-trailers, two of which caught fire, Illinois State Police Maj. Ryan Starrick said.

`Multiple fatalities' on Illinois highway following crashes