Sangamon Sun

Republican state Rep. Mike Murphy (R-Springfield) admits he’s perplexed that Democrats still haven’t learned any of what he sees as the obvious lessons about how to best deal with COVID-19.

Instead, Murphy argues the governor recently moving to impose a universal mask mandate for all public and private school students all on his own speaks to just more of the same. 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, according to The Daily Herald, and that all teachers and staff members from preschool through 12th grade be required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic first began, then-House Speaker (Michael) Madigan was happy to let the legislature sit on the sidelines and allow the governor to issue unilateral decision after decision,” Murphy said, according to WJBC. “It’s a year and a half since the pandemic began; we have a wealth of more information about COVID-19 and how to treat it, and a new Speaker Welch who promised a ‘new day’ with a more involved and open House of Representatives.”

“The Speaker should call the House back into session so the legislature can take an active role as a co-equal branch of government in whether or not to issue a new mask mandate in our schools or leave it up to the local officials, health leaders and parents to make the best decision for their communities and families,” he added. “It’s long past time for the Governor to stop acting alone.”

Murphy isn’t the only GOP lawmaker who’s grown tired of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s approach.

"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), according to WJBC.

State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) has been even more critical, arguing Pritzker’s policies "violate constitutional checks and balances, public input, and local control," The Daily  Herald reported.

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

Rising criticism or not, Pritzker vows to keep pressing forward.

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

Pritzker argues all the science and common sense logic are on his side, pointing out that both the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and The American Academy of Pediatrics are also recommending universal masking.

"As governor, it's my duty to take immediate and urgent action to slow the spread of the Delta variant" of COVID-19,” he said. "People are dying that don't have to die."