(WSIL) -- An Illinois appellate court has dismissed Governor JB Pritzker's appeal involving a mask mandate in Illinois schools. That means schools are no longer required to mandate masks for their students.
Local superintendents say the 'new ruling' is not changing much on how they operate day-to-day.Â
The initial restraining order, issued at the beginning of the month, raised more questions and conversations from parents, than this latest ruling.Â
Eldorado school officials say masks are already optional in their district, where attendance is "on par" with pre-COVID levels. After the initial ruling, several other districts made masks optional as well.Â
Superintendent Ryan Hobbs says those numbers reflect the success of local control.Â
"We now have local control over what we do and that's the way that things should be, that's why we elect our school board members, because, what's good for Eldorado might not be good for other communities in Illinois, or even southern Illinois, and so I feel like that's why local control is very important," said Hobbs.Â
Schools in West Frankfort are encouraging students to continue wearing masks as they continue following other COVID mitigation efforts.
Officials say they nearly closed in January after a dramatic rise in COVID cases between both staff and students.Â
"The masking is optional, but still doing the cleaning, still doing the social distancing as best we can. Still trying to be smart about this and get through the school year,"said Superintendent Matt Donkin.
Governor JB Pritzker plans to ask the state Supreme Court to review the ruling. A spokeswoman for Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Friday that the Democrat is worried about keeping kids healthy and in school rather than learning remotely after a 4th District Appellate Court ruling late Thursday.
A spokesman says Pritzker is working with Illinois' attorney general on an “expedited reviewâ€� by the high court.Â
