ELMHURST, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The state had played hardball with a private school system in Elmhurst that announced it would remain “mask-optional,” but now that school system has backed down.
Timothy Christian Schools Supt. Matt Davidson had announced in a more than seven-minute video Wednesday the decision to remain “mask-optional” was made after much thought and prayers.
“Folks, we’ve worked too hard and we’ve achieved too much success to just roll over” for Governor JB Pritzker’s mask mandate for schools throughout the state.
“This isn’t an act of defiance. We’re not puffing our chest out. We’re not ramping up for some big fight," he said.
Supt. Davidson said Timothy Christian would monitor the situation at other schools over the next few weeks and, “if we discover that a mask-optional policy is a dead-end, then we’ll adjust and pivot.”
But the state did not wait for that to happen.
The state Board of Education removed Timothy Christian Schools as a state-recognized non-public school. In a letter to Supt. Davidson, State Superintendent of Education, Dr. Carmen Ayala, pointed out that, “Per our discussion on August 11, 2021, you declined to affirm that your schools will comply with the universal masking requirements,” ordered by Governor Pritzker and that Davidson had stated in his video that “your school will not comply with the requirements in the Order.”
The ISBE said the non-recognition status could impact graduating seniors. It would also affect parents wanting to take advantage of a tax credit scholarship program and it would keep students from participating in state-sanctioned sports competitions.
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On Thursday, Timothy Christian Schools denied it ever said it would not comply with Governor Pritzker’s order, pointed out its schools don’t begin classes until Aug. 25, and that Timothy “communicated its intent to comply with the Order in its response to ISBE last night.”
Timothy Christian Schools said it’s working with the state to restore its recognition status.
“The school’s position is that it cannot allow such significant consequences as outlined by ISBE to adversely impact its students," the statement read.
The schools’ statement added that, “Children should not be used as leverage.”
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In the video issued Wednesday, Supt. Davidson acknowledged that Governor Pritzker is “trying to do his best.”
“The governor’s in a tough spot with this issue and so many other issues, and folks, we as Team Timothy should pray for him.”