South Cook News

An Evergreen Park Catholic elementary school principal says he is letting his students take off their masks, even if the pro-school mask Archdiocese of Chicago fires him for it.

M. Jacob "Doc" Mathius, principal at Queen of Martyrs Catholic School in Evergreen Park, published a letter to school parents Tuesday explaining his decision as well as the likely consequences.

"While I have not arrived at this decision without a tremendous amount of thought and reflection, and in the face of what I expect to be swift retribution by the Office of Catholic Schools in the form of termination from my position as Principal, I have made this decision in what I believe to be in the best interest of our students and their families," he wrote.

Mathius, who spent 44 years in various roles at Brother Rice H.S. before joining Queen of Martyrs last year, said he wears a mask himself but that he cannot justify forcing his students to continue doing so.

"I am in a position to control what I can control in regards to this question, and what I can control is relieving the burden of children wearing a covering over their faces, many of whom cannot remember a time when they attended school without having to do so. I don't want our children to remember school... our school... like that for the rest of their lives," he wrote.

"As this might be my last official communication with you, I want to thank you once again for the love and support that you have shown me since my arrival. I want to assure you that I return that love every night when I speak to our patroness, her Son and His Father," he said.

Of Illinois' six Catholic dioceses, schools in all but Chicago's have gone mask-optional.

As of Tues, Feb 8, some 191 public school districts have also gone mask-optional.

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Read the full letter by Doc Mathius

Dear Queen of Martyrs Family Members:

I am writing to inform everyone in our school community that I have made an extremely difficult decision concerning the wearing of masks at Queen of Martyrs. Independent of the mandate placed upon schools that operate under the auspices of the Office of Catholic Schools and the Archdiocese of Chicago, I have resolved that beginning tomorrow, Tuesday February 8th, the wearing of masks by members of our faculty, staff and student body will be optional.

While I have not arrived at this decision without a tremendous amount of thought and reflection, and in the face of what I expect to be swift retribution by the Office of Catholic Schools in the form of termination from my position as Principal, I have made this decision in what I believe to be in the best interest of our students and their families.

To those who might suggest that I have "caved" to one side versus the other, let me assure you that absolutely nothing count be further from the truth. Never would I presume to put my professional life on the line merely to appease someone... anyone... or any particular group of individuals. I have made this decision for what I truly believe to be in the best interest of everyone associated with our school community.

When I joined the Office of Catholic Schools and Queen of Martyrs last year when we found ourselves in the throws of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was immediately impressed by the plan that OCS had in place to assure that students could attend classes in-person should their family choose that option, while also offering a remote learning option for any family that was not comfortable sending their student back to school. I was exceedingly proud to be part of such an endeavor.

Today, however, I find myself less so. I am confused and disappointed that the Archdiocese seems to be so reluctant to being to move forward as so many school districts both in our own state, as well as states nationwide, have resolved that they indeed should.

I have reached this determination as I perceive... as I have for some time now... that the social-emotional toll that continuing COVID protocols have taken on many of our students have become more toxic than the COVID virus itself. We have all undertaken to do what we believe to be in the best interest of our families during the course of what is approaching three years, so then do I now for the school family for which I am responsible.

For those members of our school community that favor wearing a mask as I and a number of my faculty and staff do, we continue to support that preference and will continue to maintain a supply of masks for easy access at any time.

I cannot predict what the future might hold but... at least at this moment...  I am in a position to control what I can control in regards to this question, and what I can control is relieving the burden of children wearing a covering over their faces, many of whom cannot remember a time when they attended school without having to do so. I don't want our children to remember school... our school... like that for the rest of their lives.

As this might be my last official communication with you, I want to thank you once again for the love and support that you have shown me since my arrival. I want to assure you that I return that love every night when I speak to our patroness, her Son and His Father.

God's blessings, everyone,

Doc