2 moms from Fox Valley sue over mask mandate

A pair of McHenry County mothers are suing Gov. J.B. Pritzker, claiming the mandate requiring their children to wear face coverings at school is an invasion of privacy, among other allegations.

In the lawsuit filed Aug. 9, Laura Murray and Christine Polheber are seeking injunctive relief from the governor's Aug. 4 mandate that requires students, teachers and staff to wear masks in school regardless of vaccination status.

The women's children attend Conley Elementary School and Heineman Middle School, both public schools in Algonquin, and Zion Lutheran School, a private school in Marengo, according to the lawsuit.

The case has since been transferred to Sangamon County, along with "numerous cases filed statewide" challenging the governor's emergency authority, according to a motion filed by the Illinois attorney general's office.

Pritzker issued his mask mandate in response to the highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant.

Through attorney Lance Ziebell, however, the women argue there is no disaster or public health emergency allowing Pritzker to assert emergency powers. The women also claim that mandating their children to wear face coverings at school is an invasion of privacy and a violation of their rights under the Illinois Constitution.

Ziebell did not return phone calls seeking comment.