Victory! Illinois Attorney Wins Cases against Mask Mandates and Quarantines for School Children
September 19, 2021 | Summary by JW Williams | NeedToKnowNews |
“Attorney Thomas Devore won cases in two school districts against mandatory masks. Illinois Governor Pritzker issued the mask mandate in August, 60 school districts opposed it, were put on probation by the Illinois Board of Education (ISBE), and were then threatened that their accreditation and funding would be canceled. Despite this, the courts ruled against the mask mandate. Devore stated, “The court said quite clearly that a mask is a device that’s intended to limit the spread of a disease so it is a quarantine by definition and you cannot require anyone, students in this particular case, to wear that unless there’s consent of the parent or court order.” Mr. Devore invited other attorneys across the state to take his pleadings and use them as a template for parents to assert their rights. He is now turning his attention to vaccine mandates. -GEG”
“Illinois Governor Pritzker issued a mask mandate order on August 4, 2021, requiring all Illinois school districts to comply with health guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Board of Education (ISBE), in an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus that allegedly causes Covid-19. A proposal was introduced in Springfield last month by State Representative Edgar Gonzalez Jr. (D-Chicago) that would give the ISBE the authority to issue, withhold and revoke state recognition of schools who fail to comply with COVID-19 health regulations. The proposed law was filed after 60 Illinois schools had already been placed on probation or had their recognition withdrawn by ISBE for voting to make masks optional in defiance of Pritzker’s mandate.
The Teutopolis Unit 50 School Board was put on a 60-day probation on August 19 by ISBE after the board voted against the mask mandate. The school district was threatened with losing all accreditation from ISBE — meaning a loss of state and federal funding, along with ineligibility for state athletic and extracurricular competitions if the mask mandate have not been approved by the board after 60 days. On September 9, the Teutopolis Unit 50 School Board joined most other area districts and approved a mask mandate for all students and staff. Several parents of students then hired attorney Thomas Devore who filed a lawsuit to stop the mask mandate. Mr. Devore won two cases against mask mandates last week in the Teutopolis school district and the Carlyle school district.
Attorney Devore argued that masks are a medical device that can’t be required without quarantine orders. Devore stated, “The court said quite clearly that a mask is a device that’s intended to limit the spread of a disease so it is a quarantine by definition and you cannot require anyone, students in this particular case, to wear that unless there’s consent of the parent or court order.” Mr. Devore invited other attorneys across the state to take his pleadings and use them as a template for parents to assert their rights.
Attorney Devore also won several cases on behalf of parents of school children being kept from in-person learning because of possible Covid-19 exposure. Courts in multiple counties said only county health departments can issue quarantine orders as schools do not have that authority. Mr. Devore is now turning his attention to fighting Covid vaccine mandates and mandatory testing. He also announced he is campaigning to be elected judge in the 5th Appellate District Court.”
Effingham Daily News: https://www.effinghamdailynews.com/news/local_news/second-update-teutopolis-mandates-masks-it-s-about-our-seniors-being-able-to-graduate/article_db14dc4c-1110-11ec-9c40-bb8ff6d59cb6.html
Madison Recorrd: https://madisonrecord.com/stories/607530772-judge-sides-with-parents-in-challenge-to-carlyle-school-district-mask-mandate
The Center Square: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/judge-says-masks-can-t-be-required-without-official-quarantine-order/article_bb2468fe-164b-11ec-973a-dfa65976056c.html