State Opened Investigation Into School Board Member Doctor Opposed to Mask Mandates
Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana Dr. Jeremy Henrichs, a member of his local school board, was investigated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for making public comments opposed to mask mandates. (Photo credit: Carle Foundation Hospital)
NOTE: This story was originally posted for subscribers only. To receive subscriber-only newsletters and content, click here.
The state agency that administers medical licenses recently opened an investigation into a Champaign-area doctor for comments in opposition to a school mask mandate.
But here’s the rub: he’s an elected member of his local school board.
Dr. Jeremy Henrichs, who is a team doctor for University of Illinois athletics and affiliated with Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, apparently argued and voted for an optional mask policy in the school district before Governor JB Pritzker instituted a statewide school mask mandate earlier this month.
The Mahomet-Seymour district, where Henrichs serves on the school board, is requiring masks in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order.
Henrichs received an e-mail from an Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) investigator asking him ab out his opinion on masks and whether he would support and enforce a mask mandate based on his position on the school board.
Through Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet), Henrichs issued a statement saying he feels intimidated by the administration.
“The IDPFR has commanded me to “toe the line” or suffer personal and professional consequences,” Henrichs said. “The IDPFR’s actions constitute a direct threat from the state to the well-being of my family and all board members to freely and independently exercise the duties of elected office.”
“It is, frankly, un-American that any administration would try to threaten someone’s professional license to force them to vote in a certain way,” said Rose. “I fear this is part of a pattern of abuse of power that the Pritzker administration is undertaking to tamp out any dissent.”
A statement from IDFPR says the agency is required to process complaints with “due diligence.”
“IDFPR takes all allegations against licensees seriously. Complaints filed with the Department, as well as investigations undertaken by the Department, are confidential, unless and until a public complaint or discipline is issued by the Department,” the agency said in a statement. “If the Department determines a physician violated the Medical Practice Act, an appropriate course of action will be taken. IDFPR respects the rights of all licensees to express their personal views on important issues and to serve as elected officials.”
The Pritzker administration issued a statement saying is not seeking disciplinary action because of the mandate.
“The Pritzker administration has not and will not seek disciplinary action against the professional licenses of individuals who disagree with the mask mandate. Any suggestion to the contrary is baseless and misleading rumor-mongering.”
While Henrichs has voiced his opposition to mandates, he hasn’t actually voted to defy the Governor or even made negative comments about the effectiveness of masks. Numerous school board members around the state have made votes opposed to the Governor’s mandate.