Peoria Standard

Even before Gov. J.B. Pritzker officially announced his newly imposed universal mask mandate, Republican Congressional candidate Catalina Lauf was already warning voters of what they could expect.

“Gov. Pritzker will announce a mask mandate for Illinois schools today,” Lauf posted on Twitter. “Parents should decide if their child wears a mask, not Springfield. Over the past year, we have seen every Democrat mandate fail. J.B.’s mask mandate will be no different.”

Lauf isn’t the only Republican fearing what Pritzker’s latest order, which extends to all public and private school students, could mean for all of Illinois. According to the Daily Herald, the new measure also stipulates that all state employees working at congregate settings like long-term care facilities or veterans’ homes must also be vaccinated by Oct. 4 and that all teachers and staff members from preschool through 12th grade be required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

"The governor's continued unilateral, go-it-alone approach on pandemic decision-making actively undermines the state's ability to have broadly accepted mitigation strategies," said state Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich).

State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) has been even more critical, insisting the governor’s new policy "violates constitutional checks and balances, public input, and local control."

In a statement, he said school officials, parents and students themselves are better equipped to make determinations about what would be best for their individual communities.

Through all the mounting criticism, Pritzker continues to defend his actions.

"My goal has always been to safely bring all kids back into the classroom and, crucially, keep them there,” he said. "Without these measures, we will likely see many more outbreaks."

Pritzker argues science and common sense are on his side, stressing that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The American Academy of Pediatrics have both come out in support of universal masking.