East Central Reporter

Veteran state Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) wants to see Illinois leaders take a stand for students.

“When will elected officials from school boards to the governor stand up to these well-funded, power hungry special interests on behalf of the students and taxpayers they are harming,” Wilhour said. “When will we demand it?”

Wilhour’s outrage comes after scores of Chicago Public Schools teachers refused to return to the classroom this month out of concerns for the lingering coronavirus. After months of remote lea ring, in-person learning is slated to resume on Jan. 11.

While CPS officials have warned teachers not returning could face termination, Wilhour argues the true victims are the students.

“Most schools in Illinois are not operating in-person five days a week because the teachers unions don’t want them to,” he said. “Not student safety, that issue has been settled for months. This is not only a Chicago issue. It’s happening to various degrees in many districts.”

Wilhour has long been a staunch critic of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s handling of the COVID crisis, including blasting his decision to ban high school sports.

“None of the policies in place for students in the wake of COVID-19 are in the best interest of students,” he said. “It’s time for the governor, ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education), ISHA (Illinois High School Association) and especially local school boards to stand up and make a commitment to these students.”

Back in late July, the IHSA moved to reschedule the start of football, girls’ volleyball and boys’ soccer to spring in light of the lingering impact of the virus. Wilhour argues the time for such guarded caution has come and gone.

“There are always outliers, but students are statistically at almost zero risk,” he added. “Back to class on normal schedules and all sports resume immediately, like almost every other state.”

A recent survey from the UW Health and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health warns that anything short of that may continue to come with a price.

Researchers highlight how the survey of high school athletes across the country find that the cancellation of youth sports stemming from the virus has taken a significant toll on the mental health and well-being of adolescents.

Collectively, somewhere in the neighborhood of 68% of the 3,243 student-athletes surveyed reported feelings of anxiety and depression at levels that would typically require medical intervention, an increase of some 37% from past research studies.