Monday night, a good crowd filled about half of the Clinton High School auditorium to hear from State Senator Chapin Rose and Representative Dan Caulkins.

The central Illinois Republicans covered topics from the crime bill to redistricting and - what likely drew most of those in attendance - mask mandates in school. State Senator Chapin Rose says these decisions need to be made at a local level and is proposing schools rally together to sign a petition to send to the governor for local control.

According to Rep. Caulkins, the Governor has put school boards into a bad spot and central Illinois board members are very upset. As school boards convene for their August board meetings, the Decatur Republican is calling on everyone in central Illinois to keep things civil.

Sen. Rose is calling on residents who know people in areas like Decatur, Champaign, and Bloomington-Normal and call on them to contact their representatives. 

Sen. Rose is calling on school boards to sign his petition on the same night and believes if 200-300 downstate schools sign it on the same night, it will gain traction with big publications like The Chicago Tribune and will get the attention of downstate Democrats and Gov. Pritzker.