Masks will be optional in the Abingdon-Avon School District.
The District 276 Board of Education voted unanimously to reject Governor J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate, going against legal advice given to them and the recommendation from Superintendent Dr. Mike Curry.
“I made the recommendation based on legal advice from the board’s attorney to follow the mandates,” Curry told WGIL on Thursday. “And they respectfully declined that recommendation and chose to disregard the mandate. They just did not want to subject the children to the mandate of the Governor.”
Dr. Curry says that the board also took a stance that people should be treated respectfully regardless if they choose to be masked or not.
“They were very, very clear on that [Wednesday night] that they’re giving the folks in our district a choice and each group should respect the other persons’ choice. And I thought that was a very important thing for them to say.”
The Illinois State Board of Education has come out and said that non-compliance is not an option, saying that recognition would be stripped and state funding would be lost.
The district’s website lists August 23 as the first day of school for students.
