Watch now: No masks in schools, say Bloomington protesters | Politics

BLOOMINGTON — Over 90 people gathered in downtown Bloomington Friday to protest mask requirements in schools.

The “Freedom Rally” was between the McLean County Law and Justice Center and the county health department, with topics ranging from the results of the 2020 presidential election to critical race theory in classrooms to the effects of mask mandates on children.

“I’ve been fighting this a very long time,“ said one of the speakers, Dawn Nowlin. “It’s not just a mask agenda, because this is an agenda. It’s an agenda that’s harming our children.”

“If you have a mask on a child, you might put a little girl’s hair up under a hat, will you know who she is? Do you know who that child is when she walks out of that bus,” Nowlin asked.

“There are people who are bad, and what are they doing with our children,” she said.

She also said there is such a thing as COVID, “but we know the numbers are construed.”

Christina Faulkner of Normal said she had been speaking at school board meetings for the past three months.

“It’s becoming clear we have to do everything we can do to unmask the kids and stop the mandates,” she told The Pantagraph.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Aug. 4 ordered face coverings for students from preschool through high school. He said the move was needed to limit the spread of COVID and the delta variant. Several school boards, including Meridian Community School District near Decatur, said they wouldn’t enforce mask use. A Clinton County parent filed a lawsuit against Pritzker over the mater. 

McLean County Unit 5 school board voted to require masks in schools for all regardless of vaccination status one week before Pritzker’s order.

After the mandate was announced, Bloomington District 87 published its back to school plan, which includes mandatory masking. The school board did not vote on the issue because the meeting to discuss it was canceled upon Pritzker’s decision.

“Masks are physically and psychologically damaging to our children,” said Dixie Reynolds, who also spoke at the rally Friday. “It stinks to high heaven.”

She later added in an interview than masked children in schools can’t see their teachers, classmates, or their facial expressions.

“A lot of people read lips,” Reynolds said, adding that’s part of our communication.

“They’re getting taught to fear each other and fear each others’ germs,” she said.

Bloomington’s Scott Larson stood at the event holding an American flag. He said the flag represented freedom to him, and people who died for our country.

“I feel strongly about the truth,” he said. “I don’t feel the truth is being shared with the American public.”

Larson also said he didn’t trust the science.

“Many times, they can’t produce data at all to support their case,” he said, adding state government agencies — including Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration — were pawning off decisions to a higher government organization, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

GOP Gubernatorial candidate Christopher Roper — also an Army veteran and former police officer — spoke at the event.

“It feels like we’re losing our freedom,” he said. “It feels like we’re losing our country.”

“We can’t let them chip away at our Constitution or there’ll be nothing left,” he later said.

Jake Tazelaar attended the rally, wearing a “Darren Bailey for governor” T-shirt. In an interview, Tazelaar said he supports people’s right to choose to wear a mask or get vaccinated, but not a mandate.

“There are these people who are for choices for abortion and killing babies, but when you have something that’s not killing children…” Tazelaar said. “There’s no vaccine approved for children under 12.”

One counter-protester who showed up at the event dressed as a 17th century plague doctor, complete with a long-beaked mask, and held a sign that read, “I see dead people.”

“They are responsible for many deaths. They don’t know history,” said the counter-protester, who did not wish to be named out of fear for their own safety.

They later asked, “Who holds an event promoting death for children on Friday the 13th?”

In response to the protest, the McLean County Health Department issued a statement saying it is committed to promoting protecting and health, which includes promoting vaccinations and face masks.

“We understand that these mitigations may not always be popular, and we support the right of the stakeholders in our community to express their differences peacefully and respectfully,” the statement said.

MCHD said it encourages people to follow advice from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the CDC on mitigations that may be needed in schools to protect people from COVID-19.

“There is currently no vaccine authorized for children under 12, leaving them more at risk,” MCHD said. “The purpose of the universal indoor masking is to ensure that all students can safely attend school in person this fall.”

MCHD says consistent and correct masking is the most effective way to keep students safely in school. It also encouraged people with questions or comments about state guidance “to contact the state.”

The health department also provided a letter from the Illinois State Board of Education that said Pritzker signed the executive order requiring masks in schools after the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatricians recommended requiring masks in schools.

State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala noted in the letter that the delta variant is causing a surge in cases and hospitalizations.

“Wearing a mask is simple, safe, and easy,” Ayala said. “I know it can be uncomfortable sometimes, but so are football helmets and seat belts. Sometimes we have to bear a little discomfort for the sake of safety and because it’s the law.”

Ayala also said local boards of education, schools, and school districts don’t have the authority to turn down the executive order on masking in schools. The letter said doing so would put the health and safety of students at risk, and it would also expose the district to legal liability — potentially without insurance to cover damages.

“I strongly recommend that each district consult with its legal counsel and insurer to fully understand the repercussions,” she said.