East Central Reporter

Sen. Darren Bailey recently took to social media in response to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) hearing regarding the Illinois State Board of Education and Gov. J.B. Pritzker's mask mandate for students. 

During the hearing on Sept. 15, JCAR reviewed the appropriateness of the mandate requiring schools to enforce wearings masks or lose their recognition, according to The Center Square. JCAR's decision came as a blow to ISBE, as a 10-2 vote approved a resolution telling ISBE to make the guidance and policies into rule form, and clarify the process used to revoke a school's recognition. 

"Today's JCAR hearing is a victory and a first step in reining in an out-of-control Governor and his unelected board of bureaucrats," gubernational candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) wrote in a tweet. "Pritzker and ISBE have been acting outside their authority regarding the recognition status of public and private schools."

Bailey wrote that while COVID-19 is something to be taken seriously, it is not the governor's place to "unilaterally" try "to shut down and control our people."

"The statutes are clear when it comes to this process, and JCAR seems to agree the Pritzker Administration is acting outside its authority. It's time for Pritzker to start engaging the people and the legislature and stop overstepping his authority by unilaterally shutting down schools, businesses, churches and more," Bailey wrote. 

Bailey has spoken out before against the ISBE and its sanctions over masks and mask mandates, the East Central Reporter has reported. 

In July, Bailey sent a letter to ISBE in response to a school within his district having received a letter threating sanctions.

“The Illinois State Board of Education has made threats against one of the school districts I represent due to the decisions made by the locally elected school board, which is charged with making these decisions, and when I read the letter, I took that personally,” Bailey wrote in a letter to ISBE Chief Education Officer Dr. Ernesto  Matias, as reported by the East Central Reporter. “Having served 17 years on the North Clay School Board and as a  state legislator, I know the authority to make this decision is currently at the local level and should remain at the local level.”