As the start of the 2021-2022 school year approaches, school districts across the state are making final preparations for students’ return to face-to-face instruction. As local school boards were making COVID-19 safety decisions for students and staff, Gov. Pritzker stepped in last week with a new executive order requiring masks for all Pre-K-12 students and staff regardless of their vaccination status.

Senator Syverson believes these decisions should be made at the local level by elected school board members, and that decisions should reflect local values and priorities. To that end, Senator Syverson has offered a petition that people can sign to show their support for local control in these COVID-9 decisions.

Specifically, the petition states, “Do you believe that locally elected school boards should have the authority to decide what safety precautions and protocols are in place for their students and staff?” The petition can be accessed at: https://www.ilsenategop.org/localcontrol.