ISBE Moving Quickly with Schools Not Requiring Masks

Photo credit: KHQA, ABC Quincy

Some Illinois schools are now on probation for not following the Illinois State Board of Education's (ISBE) mask requirements that all students and staff must wear a mask while inside schools.

The ISBE stated "We will continue to act swiftly with both nonpublic and public schools that have confirmed they are not implementing universal indoor masking...ISBE will not compromise students' health and safety."

As of Thursday, ISBE has placed 34 schools on probation for signaling they will defy Gov. Pritzker's mask mandate in schools. So far the ISBE has taken action against 41 school districts total.

The schools and districts in our area have been placed on probation as of Thursday, August 19 include Beecher City, Dieterich, North Clay, Vandalia, South Central, Shelbyville, Ramsey, Patoka, Wayne City, Edwards County, Flora, Woodlawn, Oblong, and Carlyle.

As of this (Friday) morning, the Altamont School District was added to the list of schools on probation.

It is expected that more schools will be added to the probation list in the following days.

If schools won't require masks, they risk losing their recognition, their state funding, and their ability to compete in sports.

The districts on probation have to submit a corrective action plan for their policies, and if they don't, ISBE will pull their recognition as quickly as 60 days from notification of being put on probation.

The State Board of Education heard from officials and parents about the school mask mandate at its monthly meeting on Wednesday.