Teacher Leaves Dieterich School After District Institutes Mask Mandate

A Dieterich School District teacher is taking personal leave after the district instituted its masking policy Thursday.

Dieterich Superintendent Cary Jackson said there were some student absences Friday that could be due to the issue. Jackson said student absences were "more than usual" on Friday. He said there were some scheduled absences due to the Labor Day weekend.

There were reports on our Facebook page Thursday evening that the teacher was "walked out due to the mask policy". Jackson said that is not correct; that "she was not walked out, but left of her own accord". He also said the teacher "is taking personal leave, so is getting paid". 

Most area school boards have voted to require masks, with several voting to change their back to school plan from when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended wearing masks and not required them. Since that time, Governor Pritzer and the Illinois Department of Public Health instituted mask wearing guidelines that have been embraced by the Illinois State Board of Education.

As of Friday, the Teutopolis, Cowden-Herrick, Beecher City and Brownstown districts in our area are still "on probation" according to ISBE. Brownstown's board has voted to require mask wearing as of Tuesday, when they return from the Labor Day holiday.