The Danville District 118 School Board met in open session for three-and-a-half hours Wednesday night, with plenty on the agenda. But the main event ended with a huge no decision. Public Comment included 18 speakers, about 3/4ths completely in favor of dropping the district mask mandate, and nearly everyone taking their full five minutes, or more. The board room was packed to capacity with some waiting outside, and many had big signs with them.
But at the end of the night, after board members Shannon Schroeder and Christopher Easton first and seconded a motion, for separate votes, that the mask mandate be dropped for students and teachers; board members Darlene Halloran and Johnnie Carey first and seconded a motion that the original motion be tabled, delaying the vote until there’s a decision on Governor Prikzer’s appeal to the recent Sangamon County Circuit Court decision.
Halloran stated that if the school board took away the mask mandate now, they might have to recind that action if the governor wins his appeal, and she did not believe it was right to go back-and-forth. But Schroeder said afterwards that the school board owed the public a vote on this now.
AUDIO: (We) just voted to pass the buck, just kind of kicked the can down the street and not; not make a decision. We’re elected to make the hard decisions, and I just feel like we didn’t. We definitely could have, we’re talking about a due process right here. And convenience is not a good enough reason to delay someone’s due process rights.
Also not happy was attorney Bethany Hager, who has represented both Danville and Hoopeston parties in their fight against the governor’s orders. She told the 118 Board during public comment that more district parents are coming to her for help; and stated afterwards that at least some things were learned Wednesday night.
AUDIO: I am very disappointed that they wouldn’t even vote on the issue. But I think by the board’s failure to vote to even take that motion under consideration, we did have revealed to us who is willing to stand up for the students and the parents and due process; and who is willing to let those major considerations take a back seat.
School Board president Dr. Randall Ashton did say after the meeting that if a decision on the appeal in favor of Judge Raylene Grischow’s decision comes, which could happen late this week or early next week, a special meeting of the District 118 Board could be called to have the vote as soon as possible. Dr. Ashton told those in attendance just before adjournment that he feels the days of masks are most likely doomed, but he also said he was not stating how he would actually vote on the issue. He told those that had come and stayed for the whole meeting, most of whom left quite angry, that they need to let the process work.
