The Examiner U-46 News FeedU-46 votes to extend board policy suspension By Seth Hancock
At a special board meeting held electronically, the Board of Education in School District U-46 unanimously approved of a reauthorization of suspension of board policies during the COVID-19 shutdown on Monday, June 29.
The board had approved by a 6-0 vote, board member Veronica Noland was absent, of suspension of policies on April 6.
“That resolution is due to expire tomorrow, and this will continue it until Aug. 31,” said Sue Kerr, the board’s president.
The resolution states that board policies will be suspended “in whole or in part, if such suspension is necessary to implement Executive Orders of the Governor and/or written guidance from ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) relating to COVID-19, including any subsequent orders by the Governor to close schools.”
Later in the week, a state court deemed that all executive orders by Gov. J.B. Pritzker related to COVID-19 after April 8 are “void ab initio” as the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act only gave the governor authority for 30 days without General Assembly approval. Pritzker has issued 40 executive orders since declaring a statewide disaster on March 9.
That ruling came from the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court in Clay County on Thursday, July 2 and also stated Pritzker had “no Illinois constitutional authority as Governor to restrict a citizen’s movement or activities and/or forcibly close business” at any time during the disaster declaration.
The U-46 resolution gave a timeline starting with the March 9 disaster declaration followed by the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic on March 11 and President Donald Trump declaring a national state of emergency on March 13. On June 12, Pritzker signed into law a public act allowing board meetings to continue to be held electronically.
The resolution also states that there will be little, if any, local control ceding the decision making to the ISBE.
It states the ISBE has “authority to administer attendance and school calendar requirements, to interpret graduation requirements, and to oversee the allocation of resources for nutrition, transportation, and other crucial aspects of public education is providing written guidance to Illinois school boards and their districts on issues related to COVID-19, including but not limited to student attendance, e-learning, meal distribution, transportation, special education, and other issues.”
The resolution gives Superintendent Tony Sanders, through consultation and reporting to the board, power to make “emergency closures” and “to direct staff assignments during District closures” without board action. Additionally, he can “make all necessary emergency purchases” and to determine who is allowed on “school grounds and school buildings or facilities” according to the resolution.
The resolution also gives the board the power to alter “meeting dates, times, and locations.”
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