Sommer Stuehlmeye, a parent said she and a group of Unit 5 parents are raising funds to be considered for representation from Thomas DeVore, a lawyer who has successfully restored two Illinois school districts to regular status after a court dispute with the Illinois State Board of Education.
A judge issued a temporary restraining order yesterday against the ISBE, forcing them to remove Cowden-Herrick and Beecher City from its probationary list. A list the districts made because of non-compliance with COVID-19 mandates.
The districts sued the ISBE after being threatened with having their recognition revoked for not complying with Governor J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandate.
“We are representing parents, anybody who wants to be involved. Basically freedom of choice for parents to choose what they are okay with their students doing. There’s these mandates, mask mandates, when you have to quarantine, things like that. We’re trying to advocate for our students that it should be the parents to choose whether or not they wear a mask whether or not they quarantine, the testing whether or not that’s a requirement,” said Stuehlmeye. “Eventually as you see in places like California, they’re trying to mandate a vaccine to attend school. Were trying to say it should be the parents choice whether or not these things should happen.”
Who exactly is taking this case?
Stuehlmeye said she and the other Unit 5 parents linked up with a website called ‘Speak for Students.’
“It is a website that is an avenue to hire Tom DeVore, is his name the attorney, he’s been successful in some school districts south of us in the exact same thing as what we’re trying to do. Were raising funds to be considered by him. The funds would hire him, but we have to raise the funds before we can be considered,.for him to take on our case for the freedom of choice for parents. We’ve gone through this website and we need a certain number of parent representatives, or plaintiffs, to move forward,” said Stuehlmeye.
What does becoming a plaintiff mean?
“You’re a parent who says, ‘Yes I’m a parent in unit 5 school district. I am supporting this cause for freedom of choice for the parents and the lives of their students’. There is nothing other than that required. You don’t have to show up anywhere, there’s no additional cost, you’re not going to be blasted out in public everywhere. You’re just saying, ‘I’m a parent, ‘ and you give your name, your phone number, your email address, and what kids you have in the district,” said Stuehlmeye.
Stuehlmeye said the community has to raise the funds before they can submit a request for counsel on ‘Speak for Students.‘
“They’re not exactly connected to that. We’re raising the funds on a Paypal account. Anyone can donate. I’m like the leader, the parent leader, I submit my information then I submit the plaintiffs’ information. Once we submit everything and we have everybody, and the funds and we are ready to go. Then we find out if Tom DeVore is going to choose to take our case,” said Stuehlmeye.
If parents want to become a plaintiff then they have to contact Stuehlmeye via email. So just how much does it cost for consideration?
It costs $5,324 dollars. Right now the group of Unit 5 parents are at about $2,300.
“It’s just a choice. It’s not pro-this or anti-that. I’m sure people in the group have their opinions, but ultimately were just advocating for the fact that it should just be the parents’ choice what goes on their minors. It should not be left up to the district, the government. It should be something we decide for our kids, overall no matter what. Nothing should ever be forced on a parent,” said Stuehlmeye.
