This petition is to make the 2021-2022 school year in District 303 a MASK OPTIONAL start on August 11, 2021.

We are asking our school board and Dr. Pearson (superintendent) to give our families a choice in how they are most comfortable attending their in-person learning experience for the upcoming school year. 

Across the country, 32 states have either banned wearing a mask or have left it optional to parents. Many of these states are ruling mask mandates in schools are unconstitutional.

The following Illinois school districts and counties have already implemented mask optional policies: Hancock County, Warsaw School CUSD #316, Legacy Christian, Patoka CUSD #100, Brideport, Flanagan-Cornell Unit 74, Elmhurst Timothy Christian, Jasper County, Hutsonville, Dunlap CUSD #323 and Lake Zurich. 

Warsaw stated, "Pursuant to 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25 the law duly legislated along with following all the relevant scientific data concerning masks on school children and natural immunity to respiratory viruses the Warsaw CUSD #316 Board of Education will determine to start school for the 2021-22 school year with masks optional for all students and staff. There shall be no discrimination of students or staff regarding vaccination status and quarantine of healthy persons. The Warsaw CUSD #316 School Board, the legally elected governing body of the district, maintains the right to make decisions concerning the staff members' and students' health and welfare".

The signees of this petition urge the District 303 school board and Dr. Pearson to consider 105 ILCS 5/2-3.25 and how it effects the governing of our district. Upon research of this school code we are confident that you will find that ISBE has the power to "advise and assist" but does not hold the power to require superintendents to follow that advice. In addition, please note that the above Warsaw statement clearly calls for NO DISCRIMINATION of students or staff regarding vaccination status and the signees of this petition are calling for the same action in District 303.

Warsaw and every above mentioned district/county was following the IDPH guidelines, so what changed? They followed the science, that is what changed. The science tells us that children pose zero threat in this scenario. The science tells us that masks are not effective in the prevention of spreading COVID-19. The scientific data that shows schools to be the issue DOES NOT EXIST.

Dr. Fauci's emails indicate that, "the typical mask you buy at a store is not really effective at keeping out the virus". These words are coming from our nation's leading disease expert. Why are we continuing to put our children and teachers at risk for long-term effects from wearing a mask? The following is the growing list of health related incidents being reported in our schools and fellow Illinois schools directly related to mask mandates: anxiety, fear, depression, thoughts of suicide, headaches, dizziness, dermatitis, nose bleeds, trouble breathing, rashes, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart wall). 

Mask mandates are no longer required at churches, grocery stores, swim lessons, sporting events, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, etc. Why is this mandate still in effect for the place that our youngest citizens spend 7+ hours a day? Our children are suffering socially, emotionally, physically and academically at the hands of this unjust "recommendation" with no data to support it.

As of June 20, 2021 Kane County has an infection rate .44 and that number is shrinking daily. More than 59% of Kane County residents are fully vaccinated. Of those that are infected there is a more than 99% rate of survival. More specifically, of children ages 1-14 only .2% per 100,000 children contact the Covid-19 virus. 

The constituents and families of District 303 are signing this petition to remove the mask mandates from our schools, remind our school board that they have the power to act independently and a duty to uphold the Nuremberg Code of 1947.