Mask Suspension: Student Reprimanded For Not Wearing Mask

PALATINE, IL — It was an eventful first day of school last week for William Fremd High School freshman NaTalia Urlacher. According to her mother, Sheri, the 14-year-old arrived at the school in Palatine and was not wearing a required mask when entering the building.

"She was not wearing a mask at all, politely declined [to put one on when handed one by a school official] and was suspended for it," Sheri Urlacher told Patch. "What we learned later is it's okay to wear your mask improperly, but you just can't have it not on. It's ridiculous."

The decision to not wear a mask resulted in a one-day suspension from Township School District 211 for NaTalia, niece of Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher. Though NaTalia, a student-athlete at Fremd, has since returned to school and is wearing a mask, her mother isn't satisfied with the school district's actions.

"I'm definitely looking into it further, that's where I'm at. I've been talking to a lot of people, a lot of legal experts," Sheri Urlacher said. "We've got a great team. We're not done."

Patch has reached out to District 211 for this story. A representative, while not commenting specifically on this matter, told the Chicago Tribune, “As a matter of public safety, we are required to enforce the state of Illinois’ school mask mandate to minimize the risk of COVID virus transmission. A student’s refusal to wear a mask poses a potential threat to the safety of other students and staff as we return to full in-person instruction."

District 211 serves residents of Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Palatine, Schaumburg, and parts of Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Rolling Meadows, Roselle, South Barrington, and Streamwood. It is one of the largest high school districts in Illinois with nearly 12,000 students, in five high schools, for grades 9 through 12.

Sheri Urlacher said fellow parents have been sending her photos of students and even teachers at the school with their masks pulled down. Urlacher said her daughter knows her mother will support any decision she makes regarding masks and doesn't want her to stop fighting.

"I teach my children the importance of is that it's their body and not anyone else's," said Sheri Urlacher, who also has a 16-year-old at the school. "They are very clear that no one makes decisions for their bodies. She [NaTalia] completely gets it at 14."

The District 211 Board of Education had originally unanimously approved a mask optional policy in July, but switched course earlier this month based on an executive order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker. A mask mandate was put in effect for all preschool through high school students and staff throughout the state, regardless of vaccination status.

The change came from recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The CDC's guidance on masks states that citizens not fully vaccinated and aged 2 or older, should wear a mask in indoor public places. The CDC also said that fully vaccinated residents, to maximize protection from the delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, should wear a mask indoors in public if in an area of substantial or high transmission.

The community transmission level in Cook County is currently considered substantial, according to the Cook County Department of Health.

Last week, a downstate lawyer sued Pritzker, stating the governor doesn't have the authority to enforce the statewide mask mandate for schools. Thomas DeVore, who has a history of unsuccessfully challenging the governor's ability to invoke emergency powers related to the COVID-19 pandemic, filed the lawsuit in the Clinton County Courthouse.

While not citing a specific violation, the 43-page complaint states Pritzker is improperly citing the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, or IEMMA, for his emergency orders throughout the pandemic. The IEMMA awards the governor special powers in the event of an unprecedented disaster.

At Fremd, the last time a student tested positive for COVID-19 was during the week of June 14-18 when summer school was in session, according to the school's COVID-19 dashboard. The last time a staff member at Fremd tested positive was during the week of April 5-9. The 2020-2021 regular school year concluded on May 27.

Urlacher said she has asked the school district repeatedly for any data that proves wearing a mask for seven hours a day isn't detrimental to a child's overall health.

"They haven't provided this information to me. They're expecting us to participate in this 'experiment.' By definition, it is an experiment, because if you can't provide us with any data or scientific evidence that our children are not going to be harmed, then it's an experiment and why are we being forced to do this," she said.

Urlacher, who said both her daughters are Division I-caliber basketball players, fears another disciplinary action against NaTalia could prove disastrous for her future collegiate endeavors.

"I would entertain [NaTalia not wearing a mask] if more students were with her. Parents need to understand that's the answer. They can't suspend all the students," Sheri Urlacher said. "If we just had 25 percent of students doing this, is the school going to suspend 25 percent of students? This is where we are."

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