Illinois Governor suing local school district

Illinois Governor J.B.

Pritzker and his administration are suing three school districts in the state that are not requiring face masks in school.

School district against the community.

This was a no win situation from the get-go" one wabash valley school is being sued by their governor.

Good evening and thanks for joining us.

Illinois governor j.b.

Pritzker's administration is suing 3 schools in his state.

That's after seeing they were *not* requiring face masks in their back to school plan.

News 10's sarah lehman spoke with the superintendent of hutsonville community unit school district one.

In tonights top story... she's live in our newroom with more from the superintenden t.

Patrece...rondrell... in hutsonville's back to school plan... it says facemasks are highly recomended.

But -- illinois governor j.b.

Prizker says they should be required.

And he's taking them to court to prove his point.

Just across the indiana border.

About 40 minutes from terre haute.

Sit's hutsonville illinois.

And hutsonville community unit school district one.

"being a small school district one of the advantages we had we could in most areas reach that 6 feet apart."

Julie kraemer is the superintendent for the school district.

She says the corporation has been working on their back to school plan since late march.

After talking to teachers... parents... and communinty members... they decided *not to *require facemasks in school all day.

But now illinois governor j.b.

Pritzker and his administration is suing hutsonville schools.

Along with two other illinois districts.

"we felt like it was a local decision based on what's currently going on in our community now.

/// i mean we have a local board for a reason and that's what we stood by."

Standu} "right now it is up to parents whether they send their students to school with a mask.

Or if they choose not to.

But if they lose in court they will have to require facemasks for everyone in the school."

"i have a court that's telling us that you have to do this then of course we're going to abide by that."

The state lawsuit says the illinois department of health and the illinois state board of education have said masks are required in schools.

Kraemer says parents in her school district have said they don't want their kids to wear a mask all day.

She thinks the decision should be made from a local point of view.

"why can't we look at this, why can't every single individual, local school board look at this as a local issue and what's going on in their community."

Kraemer says they have a hearing date set for august fourth.

News 10 will of course continue to follow this story.

Reporting live in the newsroom.

I'm sarah lehman news 10.

Back to you.