West Central Reporter

State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) wants her constituents to know the fight against the universal mask mandate imposed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker is far from over.

"A great deal of constituents, educators, school board members, and groups have contacted me about Governor Pritzker’s school mask mandate, Tracy said in a post to Facebook. “I wanted to assure everyone that I am doing all I can to appeal to the Governor and work with him and his staff to help them recognize the importance of allowing elected school boards to make policy that affects students in their district.” 

Flexing his executive muscle, Pritzker unilaterally moved to impose his order requiring all students and teachers to wear masks in schools as classes across the state are set to resume over the next several weeks.

Tracy said Republican lawmakers have long been fighting to prevent things from ever arriving at this point. 

“It is important to note that the Senate Republicans have filed many bills to limit the Governor’s executive orders in current and future situations,” she said. “Those efforts have stalled and our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. His blatant abuse of power continues to amaze me.”

As a parent and grandparent, Tracy said she is urging all school age parents to sign her petition calling on Pritzker to return power to local forces.

Pritzker has defended his decision to enact the mandate by pointing out the Illinois Department of Public Health and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now recommending masking indoors at K-12 schools.

"As your governor, it's my duty to say that we must all take immediate and urgent action to slow the spread of the delta variant," he said. "People are dying who don't have to die."