South Cook News

A parents group within the Catholic faith has started a movement aimed at removing COVID-19 restrictions from parochial schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

One mother of four students who go to Catholic schools in the southland is part of the group expressing astonishment that her son would be forced to wear a mask while playing basketball.

“I believe 100% since COVID took over the Catholic school and probably the archdiocese as well, have they have this mentality of just be happy that you're in person?” the mother who requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal told Prairie State Wire. “You know, look at CPS, look at down the street, they're striking. They're they're making their kids do remote. So we should be happy and just take whatever they give us for our children because we should be lucky for them to have in person.”  

After 18 months of COVID-19 protocols many are saying children have had enough.

She called the fact her children have to be checked for mask usage during basketball games “ridiculous.”

“My children are going there, playing, running down a basketball court with a mask on their face. I'm sorry. I mean, it's ridiculous,” she said.  

She said the Archdiocese’s disregard of parent voices does not make sense as most of her school’s parents are intensely involved in the institution.

“These people are the ones that are going to keep you afloat ... ” she said.

The group of concerned Catholics has started to discuss in private chatrooms next steps to open up the private schools in the state by fighting back against COVID-19. The anonymous parent said her desire to change the status quo was sparked after troubles with Zoom learning for her children and forced quarantines.

“I cannot imagine what it's like for parents that have children with speech issues and major issues because there's absolutely nothing put in place in the Archdiocese to accommodate these children when these situations take place in school,” she said.

It was during her children's last quarantine the mother decided to do something.

“My kids sat at home this December, away from school, away from sports, for zero reason being completely healthy,” she said.  

She said she called the Archdiocese 17 times before she received a response to her concerns over her children's education and noted that her kids have trouble seeing when forced to wear masks.

“All four of my children wear glasses,” she said. “They can't see when the glasses are pulled up to their nose because obviously all the air is going into their glasses and fogging them up.”

One recent study conducted during the pandemic found medical masks had no protective effect against COVID-19 infection in a randomized controlled experiment of Danish volunteers.

A University of Illinois at Chicago study found that "cloth masks and face coverings are likely to have limited impact on lowering COVID-19 transmission, because they have minimal ability to prevent the emission of small particles.. and offer limited personal protection with respect to small particle inhalation.”

The mother noted when the archdiocese held a question-and-answer session with parents, her questions above COVID-19 protocols were similarly ignored.

“She did not have the authority to answer any questions that were related to COVID and just completely ignored me,” she said.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, has openly supported Gov. J.B. Pritzker's measures to combat the pandemic.

Cupich recently adjusted the mask requirement to include wearing them at recess before later rolling it back. He also entertained guests at a Catholic Charities Christmas party last year while unmasked, despite his regulations for youngsters.