East Central Reporter

Illinois state Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham) rages he’s grown tired of seeing Gov. J.B. Pritzker overlook the will of the people in his handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

"This newest Executive Order by Gov. Pritzker, using our children as political pawns to coerce everyone to take the Covid-19 vaccine, is not acceptable," Wilhour recently wrote in a Facebook post.

Wilhour’s latest outrage is sparked by the governor recently moving to enact a universal mask mandate for all public and private school students. The new policy also stipulates that all state employees working at congregate settings like long-term care facilities or veterans’ homes must also be vaccinated by Oct. 4.  

The governor’s mandate also extends to day cares and teachers and staff members from preschool through 12th grade now being required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

Wilhour isn’t the only Republican lawmaker accusing the governor of operating more like a dictator.

"The governor's continued unilateral, go-it-alone approach on pandemic decision-making actively undermines the state's ability to have broadly accepted mitigation strategies," said state Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich).

State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) likewise doesn’t hold back, arguing Pritzker’s policies "violate constitutional checks and balances, public input, and local control."

In a statement, he said school officials, parents and students themselves are better equipped to make determinations about what would be best for their individual communities.

Even as the level of resistance seems to mount, the governor insists he plans to continue pushing forward.

"My goal has always been to safely bring all kids back into the classroom and, crucially, keep them there,” he said. "Without these measures, we will likely see many more outbreaks."

Pritzker argues all the science and common sense lies with his position, pointing out that both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and The American Academy of Pediatrics are also recommending universal masking.