Dupage Policy Journal

In a letter to employees, students and parents Friday night, Timothy Christian Schools Superintendent Matt Davidson celebrated a Sangamon County judge's ruling declaring Gov. J.B. Pritzker's statewide schools' mask mandate null and void, declaring his schools "mask-optional-- effective immediately."

"I’m happy to announce that the judge presiding over the case issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), which restrains the State from (among other things) ordering school districts to require individuals to wear masks in the school buildings," Davidson wrote. "Therefore, Timothy will be mask-optional – effective immediately."

"I hope and pray this ruling stands, as it is subject to immediate appeal," he said.

In Aug. 2021, after Davidson told school families he was examining the legality of Pritzker's mask mandate, the governor ordered the state to punish the school, barring its sports teams from participating in sports and making its students ineligible to receive scholarship donations from the state's private school tax credit program.

Davidson agreed to enforce the mask mandate and Pritzker rescinded his punishment.

DuPage County Catholic schools are taking the opposite approach. Joliet Diocese Superintendent Michael J. Boyle said Friday night that the 40 private schools under his rule would be immediately prohibited from playing maskless basketball. He expressed concern they could do so safely.

Based in Elmhurst, Timothy Christian is a non-denominational Christian school with 1,267 students from pre-school through high school. Elementary school tuition is $10,015; high school is $12,780.

Read the full text of Timothy Christian Superintendent Matt Davidson's letter to employees, students and parents.

February 4, 2022

Team:

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been closely watching a court case fighting the Illinois mask mandate. I’m certain many of you have been watching this as well. I’m happy to announce that the judge presiding over the case issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), which restrains the State from (among other things) ordering school districts to require individuals to wear masks in the school buildings. Therefore, Timothy will be mask-optional – effective immediately. I hope and pray this ruling stands, as it is subject to immediate appeal.

 

Timothy will now finally join tens-of-thousands of schools in almost every other state (and in many other parts of the world) by announcing a mask-optional policy. Time will tell if this ruling will have staying-power or not…but we intend to continue our fight to guarantee your rights as parents to make these decisions for your children – in the home…where they belong.

 

Timothy has been an “open book” on our stance as it relates to masks – perhaps more so than any other school. We’ve demonstrated utmost transparency and consistency in our messaging on masks dating back to last spring. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. We were the first school in the state to be (unfairly) punished for simply thinking about going mask-optional back in August, and we’ve been working day-and-night toward that goal ever since.

 

As I’ve stated from the beginning, this goes both ways. We will have students and staff members with and without masks on Monday. Ultimately, parents will make these decisions for their children, and I will make absolutely certain that these decisions are respected by all here in our community.  I believe we can even serve as an example for others on how to “dwell together in unity” on this issue. I’m counting on Team Timothy to lead the way once again.

 

Press on, Timothy.