UPDATED: Suburban Private School Will Observe Mask Mandate After State Threats
Timothy Christian's AJ Vos (2) holds the Class 2A Northern Illinois Super sectional plaque after the Trojans beat Minonk Fieldcrest on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. The Christian school in Elmhurst was threatened with loss of state recognition and sports participation after leaders announced they would defy a school mask mandate. (Photo: Pioneer Press)
A suburban Chicago private Christian school has reversed course on plans to defy Governor JB Pritzker’s mask mandate for schools after the state threatened to stop recognizing the school.
Matt Davidson, Superintendent at Timothy Christian School in Elmhurst, a private, non-denominational school, released a video Wednesday claiming the school would choose not to enforce Pritzker’s mandate that all students and staff wear masks inside schools. Timothy Christian had a mask optional policy during their 2020-2021 school year, which was mostly held in person.
In response, Illinois State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen Ayala sent the school a letter late Wednesday that the state would no longer formally recognize Timothy Christian. If the state continues to list Timothy Christian as a non-recognized school, seniors who graduate would not have their diploma recognized by the state. It would also remove the school, families, and students from participating in the Invest in Kids tax scholarship program. It would also make the school ineligible to participate in junior high and high school athletics.
“We do not take this action lightly,” Ayala wrote. “The purpose of the universal indoor masking requirement is to ensure that all students can safely attend school in-person this fall. We know that consistent and correct mask use is the simplest, most effective way to keep students safely in school, where they can learn and grow to their fullest potential. And masks work best when everyone wears one. Therefore, ISBE must take every action possible under its authority to ensure compliance in all schools with the Executive Order.”
Through a spokesperson, Timothy Christian Superintendent Matt Davidson declined an interview request.
But, in a statement released Thursday, the school reversed course.
“The school’s position is that it cannot allow such significant consequences as outlined by ISBE to adversely impact its students,” the statement read. “Many high school students are looking forward to IHSA athletics and other activities; many are counting on college scholarships and opportunities; many of its families are receiving much-needed scholarship money from the Invest in Kids Act (which is unique to private schools); and in a PreK-12 school.”
Though the statement chastises the state’s response claiming “children should not be used as leverage.”
The statement claims the school wasn’t planning to defy the executive order, but taking time before classes start August 25 to do its “due diligence” on Pritzker’s Executive Order.
Numerous published reports indicate the children of House Speaker Chris Welch attend the school, though a spokesperson would not confirm the reports. Welch’s wife, ShawnTe, an attorney, is listed as a member of the school’s “Health Task Force,” which helped draft the mask optional policy.
UPDATE (Friday 4:01 P.M.):
Per the school, the Illinois State Board of Education has reinstated Timothy Christian.
In a statement, school superintendent Matt Davidson was happy with the news.
“I am pleased with this anticipated outcome and appreciate the prompt response from ISBE,” he said.
—