Around 80-some superintendents have penned what is to date perhaps the most scathing rebuke of Governor JB Pritzker's mandates on Illinois schools and insistence on restoring local control to Illinois school boards.
Clinton Schools Superintendent Curt Nettles is among the dozens of Illinois school leaders who have signed the op-ed, circulating in publications around the state. The op-ed at one point reads, quote "Gov. Pritzker himself once subscribed to that view. As recently as July, he stated that “families should be involved in making decisions for their own families. And, school districts and school boards will make decisions for the schools within their districts.”
Evidently, the Governor and ISBE really don’t believe this.
Meanwhile, those of us who took the governor at his word are now dismissed and derided as an extreme minority, the enemies of science and compassion."
Nettles says the letter reads like someone sat down and spelled out their feelings and hits on things that have needed to be said.
Nettles points out Clinton is funded by roughly 80-percent local dollars and the state and federal government supplements the remaining 20-percent but their locally elected school board only makes about 20-percent of their decisions. He condemned the Governor for not having a pulse for the entire state.
As far as ongoing efforts to restore local control for Illinois schools to make their own decisions regarding COVID mitigations, Nettles continues to be in front of decision-makers calling it the most effective method of making concerns heard.
Another criticism of Nettles and others is the fact mandates are handed with zero guidance. He is calling on mandates to at least be thought out and offer a plan.
Nettles is growing tired of trying to balance the COVID mandates and manage the school district separate from COVID. He says many of his colleagues feel the same way, in fact, many have expressed frustration to Regional Radio they are more COVID managers than school district leaders.
You can read the op-ed signed by several local district leaders today at dewittdailynews.com and find the 'Letters' tab.
