Masks become optional today for some Catholic schools across Chicagoland
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. - Some students are celebrating not having to wear a mask at school in Arlington Heights.
The Archdiocese of Chicago made masks optional at schools in Lake and suburban Cook counties, beginning Thursday.
St. Viator High School students were greeted with high-fives from staff, welcoming students back after two days of remote instruction.
On Monday, about 40 students came to school without masks, to push the issue.
They were told to put on a mask or go home. Some remained in the school gym for the day.
Students took the action after a downstate judge ruled for a temporary restraining order on Gov. JB Pritzker’s state mask mandate.
Some public schools named in that lawsuit immediately made masks optional. But the archdiocese did not change policy until late Tuesday, informing parents that COVID cases and quarantine numbers are low and conditions are right for change. St. Viator students feel they have won a victory.
The school policy does not apply to Catholic schools in Chicago, Oak Park and Evanston, where local masking mandates apply.
The public schools in District 25 and 214 made masks optional, too.