Rockford Sun

Republican state Sen. Dave Syverson's new petition takes aim at Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s latest COVID-19 restrictions that he believes only stand to mean more pain for residents across Illinois.

 "With his announced changes to the state’s COVID-19 mitigation plan, including a new mask mandate for students, teachers and staff in all K-12 schools regardless of vaccination status, Gov. Pritzker continues his unilateral approach to pandemic decision-making, which actively undermines Illinois’ ability to have broadly accepted mitigation strategies," Syverson posted on Facebook. "Sign my petition if you believe that locally elected school boards with parental input should be allowed to decide what safety precautions and protocols are in place for their students and staff."

 Pritzker’s new order also establishes that all state employees working at congregate settings, such as long-term care facilities and veterans' homes, be vaccinated soon after schools across the state are slated to reopen their doors for fall classes.

Even as criticism of the mandate has mounted, the governor has remained adamant in defending his actions, frequently pointing out that the Illinois Department of Public Health and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now both also recommending masking indoors at K-12 schools.

In the end, Pritzker said he felt he had little choice but to impose the new rules given how many schools that seemed prepared to flout updated CDC guidelines.

"As your governor, it's my duty to say that we must all take immediate and urgent action to slow the spread of the delta variant," he told NBC5 Chicago. "People are dying who don't have to die."