At Will County, about two dozen students were set to begin remote learning by the first day of school. | Adobe Stock
At Will County, about two dozen students were set to begin remote learning by the first day of school. | Adobe Stock
Chicago’s Morning Answer radio host Dan Proft is urging parents to speak out about Will County school district policy that critics charge seeks to gag them.
According to a document posted by Proft on Twitter, parents must sign a form agreeing not to post recordings of their children's Zoom remote sessions, or comment on teachers or lessons, on social media.
"Is this gag order one you would sign?” Proft posted on Twitter.
Following a year where the option for in-person learning was essentially blocked to students, both the state and federal governments are pressuring school districts across the state to return to full operations this fall, with only limited opportunities for remote learning, according to Chalkboard Chicago.
At Will County, about two dozen students were set to begin remote learning by the first day of school, out of about 100 who applied, Chalkboard Chicago said.
As part of the plan, the state board of education is enforcing state masking mandates, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker announcing in early August that all public and private school students will be required to mask up, WTTW reported.
State schools Chief Carmen Ayala recently penned a letter to superintendents across the state warning that any school district not adhering to the governor’s mask mandate will lose state recognition, which would mean also losing state funding and access to sports associations.
“We know that consistent and correct mask use is the simplest, most effective way to keep students safely in school, where they can learn and grow to their fullest potential,” Ayala said in the letter.
One of those already affected by the loss of recognition penalty is Timothy Christian Schools, a private school in Elmhurst that was stripped of such status earlier this month, according to Chalkboard Chicago. The state only moved to reverse its decision after school officials agreed to fall in line with the statewide mandate.
Along with the masking requirement, the state’s school code paves the way for local school boards to adopt a remote learning plan that parents or guardians can sign off on in order for their children to receive such instruction, though each school may approach implementation differently.
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