Denver Newsroom, Feb 7, 2022 / 16:00 pm
Following an Illinois judge’s Friday ruling that nullified a statewide mask mandate for schools, the superintendent of schools for the Chicago archdiocese says masks will continue to be required for students in Chicago Catholic schools.
In contrast, some other Illinois dioceses have announced that masks will be optional for students.
On Feb. 4, Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow nullified Governor J.B. Pritzker's executive orders on masks and tests, which applied to schools statewide, as a violation of due process.
Grischow wrote, “This Court acknowledges the tragic toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken, not only on this State, but throughout the nation and globe. Nonetheless, it is the duty of the Courts to preserve the rule of law and ensure that all branches of government act within the bounds of the authority granted under the Constitution. There is no doubt that the public has a strong interest in stopping the spread of this virus, but such does not allow our government ‘to act unlawfully even in the pursuit of desirable ends.’”