Elmhurst Doctors Want District 205 To Reopen: Official

ELMHURST, IL — A member of the Elmhurst School District 205 board expressed his frustrations Tuesday with the district's approach to decisions on reopening schools. And he said local doctors want students back in class.

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Pushback Leads To More D-205 In-Person Learning

At a board meeting, members voted unanimously to return to a blend of in-person and remote learning starting Jan. 11. Except special needs students, District 205 has been entirely remote since October because of the pandemic.

"I have to express my frustration," member Jim Collins said at the board's remote meeting. "Our interpretation of medical facts always seems to err on the most conservative side."

He said the attitude he is seeing in the district is "we can't" on in-person learning, while other districts and even private schools in Elmhurst are saying "we can."

Collins said he has seen much medical literature saying that children don't need to socially distance as far as adults, especially when children are masked.

Collins also suggested the district add more medical experts to those already advising Superintendent Dave Moyer.

"It's interesting that when I read letters from parents, every single one of them who has identified themselves as a physician is saying to get our kids in the classroom," Collins said. "We haven't heard from any physicians in the community who say, 'Please keep our kids out of the classroom. It's just too dangerous.'"

Earlier this month, one local physician, Dr. Shirley Stilson, took to the local "Reopen D205" Facebook page to blast Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government's top infectious disease official, for waiting to say that children should be back in school. She said he should be "ashamed."

After Patch published the doctor's comments in a story, Stilson posted a new statement saying her previous one was "extreme." Though her earlier comments drew many favorable comments on the page, some of its members expressed anger that a media organization published a story. The page, which has more than 1,300 members, then went private.