03/16/2020

By: Brittany Flaherty Theis

Over the past few weeks, Whitt Law LLC has been working with its clients to respond and adapt to the rapidly evolving impact of the novel coronavirus (called COVID-19). Public and private schools will continue to work closely with their legal counsel, the Illinois State Board of Education, county health departments, and units of local government as they navigate these unprecedented issues, which range from health and safety concerns to academic and nutrition matters. For those in the community seeking information regarding COVID-19 or wondering what factors and information are going into the challenging decisions your schools and school districts are making, we recommend reviewing information provided by some of the resources below:

Illinois State Board of Education

The Illinois State Board of Education (“ISBE”) is a state agency with the mission of providing each and every child with safe and healthy learning conditions, great educators, and equitable opportunities. ISBE’s School Health Issues landing page for “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates and Resources” contains documents ISBE has prepared to guide school boards, administrators, and child care and early learning centers, as well as links to Executive Orders for the State of Illinois and federal resources prepared by the U.S. Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a great source of information for individuals in Illinois.

https://www.isbe.net/Pages/covid19.aspx

Illinois Department of Public Health

The mission of the Illinois Department of Public Health (“IDPH”) is to protect the health and wellness of the people of Illinois through the prevention, health promotion, regulation, and the control of disease and injury. The IDPH has a landing page for “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Here you can find information regarding the number of confirmed positive and confirmed negative cases in Illinois, along with answers to frequently asked questions, as well as guidance for schools, businesses, and health care providers.

http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) is a federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC is tasked with fighting disease and supporting communities and citizens to do the same. The CDC’s COVID-19 resources are updated regularly and contain situation summaries, resources for schools and child care providers, businesses and employers, healthcare providers, and more.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

This list is in no way exhaustive of the considerations and resources impacting decisions made by public school districts or private schools. Rather, the list is intended to provide insight into the myriad of factors that impact many of the decisions being made, as well as a landing place for information that is regularly updated and not sensationalized.

If your public or private school or child care center needs legal assistance navigating any of these challenges, please contact Whitt Law Senior Attorney Brittany Flaherty Theis.

 

This blog/website is made available for educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide specific legal advice to your individual circumstances or legal questions. You acknowledge that your reading of this blog site does not establish an attorney-client relationship between you and the blog/website host or the law firm, or any of the attorneys with whom the host is affiliated. This blog/website should not be used as a substitute for seeking competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. Readers of this information should not act upon any information contained on this website without seeking professional counsel.