Naperville District 203 is taking a hard stand on mandatory mask usage in schools to avoid the “extraordinary legal liability” that comes with violating state policy, Superintendent Dan Bridges told the school board Monday.
His pronouncement came after the board meeting itself had to twice be delayed Monday because audience members were not wearing masks. Two people who refused to put them on were removed.
Per state policy, school districts that don’t enforce the mask mandate will lose school recognition by the Illinois State Board of Education, Bridges said.
“If we lose our recognition status, the following will happen: diplomas and graduates will not be recognized by the state,” he said. “Students will no longer be eligible for certain scholarships. And all (Illinois High School Association) athletics and activities will not be recognized and our students will be ineligible for competition.”
Disciplinary action will be taken if a student repeatedly refuses to wear a mask when classes resume Thursday, he said.
“A lot of judgment will go into the determination about how we work with a student,” Bridges said. “Unfortunately, interventions will continue to escalate depending on whether it’s an act of choice and defiance to not wear a mask as mandated. We are compelled and required by the state to enforce this policy.”
The final step would be “exclusionary measures if students are unable to be compliant,” he said.
Board members approved a resolution Monday night that reinforces the district’s intention to take disciplinary action against anyone who disobeys the mask rules.
Policies will apply not only to students and staff inside school buildings but anyone going into any district facility and students and staff on school buses.
The rules will stay in place for as long as there is a statewide mandate or health agencies recommend masks be used in Illinois schools, officials said.
And on Monday, the district made it clear that it would brook no violation of those rules. The board recessed twice when people in the audience refused to don face coverings and Naperville police officers were brought in to escort two people out.
One of them, Ullysses Soto, later wrote on Facebook to say that his religion prohibits him from covering his face. Police officers and district administrators said he should file a religious exemption in writing prior to the next board meeting, he said.
Parent Gracia Livie wanted the board to tell her how long the mask rule will remain in place.
“What would be courageous, teachers and leadership of Naperville 203, would at least be to question whether forced universal masking of children long term is in the best interest of the whole child,” Livie said. “And please stand up to our governor and (Illinois State Board of Education).”
But parent Eric Sutton had the opposite opinion, thanking the school board and district for having a mandatory mask rule and enforcing it.
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“I know that that’s very hard to do when there’s so much vocal pressure from a very small minority in the crowd,” he said.