D158 parents join others in a lawsuit against 145 school districts challenging COVID-19 mandates
HUNTLEY – Several parents of children attending Huntley Community School District 158 (D158) were among the many individuals that filed a lawsuit against not only their respective school districts, but also Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and IDPH director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) state superintendent Carmen Ayala.
The lawsuit was filed in Macoupin County with the group of parents being represented by attorneys Thomas DeVore, Jeffery Mollet, and Erik Hyam from the Silver Lake Group law firm.
Other nearby school districts within Kane and McHenry Counties named in the suit included:
Algonquin-based Community Unit School District 300, Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47, Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155, Cary Consolidated Community School District 26, Prairie Grove Community School District 46, McHenry Community Consolidated School District 15, Woodstock Community Unit School District 200, and Elgin-based School District Unit 46.
Corine Burns, Andrew Liggett, Kevin Goers, Cheryl Thomas, Katherine Felz, and Kelly and Daniel Eagen were the plaintiffs cited as having filed the suit against D158, according to the 359-page lawsuit document.
Additionally, the lawsuit document states that “each of the Plaintiffs seek to represent a class of other parents or legal guardians who also have children who attend school within their respective School Districts.”
DeVore issued a statement on behalf of the more than 700 parents who brought legal action against their local school districts, the governor, and other state agencies.
“For over 21 months, parents have patiently tolerated overreach by Governor J.B. Pritzker and his administrative agents, while praying for the legislative branch of government, the people’s voice, to step forward and defend their God-given rights of due process ensconced in the U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution and applicable Illinois statutes,” said DeVore.
He continued, “As Governor J.B. Pritzker has continuously issued his one-man edicts, mandates, orders, and one size fits all guidance, all lacking any public disclosure in which the people or their elected representatives could participate, the emotional health of children has suffered immensely. As the days and months passed, the goal posts continually moved further down the field, but one constant remained, people’s rights of due process under the law were shredded at every turn.”
DeVore alleges that all 145 school districts named in the suit are illegally enforcing the exclusion directives issued by Pritzker, IDPH, and ISBE.
“Parents will no longer sit idly by while Governor J.B. Pritzker rules by executive fiat, to say nothing of the simple fact that lawful requests for the executive to share the ‘facts and science’ on which his edicts are based go unanswered. This country was founded upon three coequal branches of government and the executive cannot rule like a king until he arbitrarily sees fit to relinquish control,” said DeVore.
“For these reasons, more than 700 Illinois parents brought legal action on behalf of their children, carrying out their parental duty to protect their children, and, indeed, all children of this State, from further transgressions by the executive branch of the government.”
Burns, who is also a member of the D158 Parent Union group that originated on Facebook, spoke at the Oct. 21 D158 Board of Education (BOE) meeting regarding her disappointment in the district, following a meeting with D158 leadership.
“It’s apparent that [there are] no decisions made by the district or the board. Everyone simply follows the orders from the direct head above them…I left that meeting extremely discouraged with no glimmer of hope in sight. We should all know from history that following orders and not critically thinking for oneself is not a good idea. We do not want to endanger anyone. We want our kids to have normal lives like their peers outside of Illinois,” said Burns. “It breaks my heart to talk to my children about their day. They can’t talk to their friends during lunch because they’re too far away. They are kids and they need to interact and play and learn social and facial cues.”
Burns ended her statement to the BOE members by voicing her concerns about the potential of the COVID-19 vaccine being mandated for students under 12 once that becomes available.
“Vaccinated children can still catch and spread COVID and don’t have to go through quarantine or ‘Test-to-Stay.’ It doesn’t make sense. Instead of using common sense and keeping our sick children home regardless of vaccination status,” Burns said. “Again, I know some of you don’t understand this, but mandates aren’t laws and when the powers above start discussing mandating experimental vaccines, I hope that you find it in yourselves to stand up and say no to them.”
DeVore is well known for winning court cases where school districts excluded students without a court-ordered quarantine.
“It’s far past time we restore the system of self-governance upon which this nation was founded. If the legislature won’t act to reign in these abuses, our only recourse to seek redress is the judiciary. Our children deserve no less,” he said.
