Gov. J.B. Pritzker | File Photo
Gov. J.B. Pritzker | File Photo
A Kendall County judge has ordered the Illinois State Board of Education to temporarily reinstate Parkview Christian Academy's state recognition, which was revoked after the school refused to comply with state masking mandates.
It came down to consistency.
“In the end, I simply cannot reconcile how it is not more burdensome for Parkview to suffer the emergency revocation of their school status without any right to probation or hearing knowing that just down the street Yorkville High School refused to comply with the mask mandate and the superintendent would be prevented from taking emergency action and would be required to put that school on probation and engage in a lengthy hearing process,” Judge Stephen Krentz said in delivering his decision, according to WSPY News.
The school had requested the emergency order while the issue works its way through the courts.
Krentz’s ruling establishes that he agreed with Parkview’s argument that nonpublic schools are effectively being held to a different standard than public schools, which some argue have been granted far more due process before their state recognition is revoked for not following Gov. J.B. Pritzker's mandate.
Losing state recognition can result in a school being stripped of state funding, seniors not being allowed to use the school on their college applications, and athletes not being allowed to take part in Illinois High School Association sanctioned sporting events. The school rescheduled its athletics season after losing recognition, WSPY News reported.
After Krentz’s decision was announced, Parkview Board of Education President Jed Davis addressed a large crowd of supporters outside the courthouse, where he argued the school’s legal actions have been about thwarting government overreach.
ISBE officials revoked the school’s recognition last month in the wake of its decision not to require masks for students and staff. Krentz’s ruling clears the way for students to be able to use the school in college applications.
Soon after ISBE took action, Davis publicly declared the school isn't anti-mask, though he added he believes ISBE overstepped its authority on the matter.
Attorneys for ISBE counter that the governor had granted the agency emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next hearing in the case is set for Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Kendall County Courthouse.
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