Dear District 97 Staff and Families,
We’re writing today to share an update on a court ruling you may have heard about in the news. On Friday afternoon, an Illinois judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) temporarily prohibiting the Governor from enforcing executive orders and emergency rules regarding school mask mandates, exclusion for close contacts, and employee vaccination/testing requirements. The state has requested an immediate stay of the TRO, and an appeal by the state is expected to be filed Monday.
District 97 is not party to the lawsuit. Therefore, there are no changes to our current safety mitigations. We ask that students, staff and families continue to comply with these measures unless or until we advise the community of a change. We are in consultation with our attorneys and will continue to update you on any related developments as a result of the appeal.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as our District reviews this decision and navigates any potential changes to the COVID-19 guidance and rules for Illinois schools. Our top priority remains providing a safe and healthy learning environment for our students and staff.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Griff Powell and Dr. Patricia Wernet
Co-Interim Superintendents