Hundreds Gather In Wheaton To Rally For In-Person Learning

WHEATON, IL — Hundreds of students and parents from around the state of Illinois gathered in Wheaton's Memorial Park Tuesday to rally for a return to in-person learning.

Eric Brown, who has five children in Wheaton-Warrenville Community Unit School District 200 schools, told Patch the rally was about having the voices of the children heard. All of Brown's children, except for one, are e-learning.

"We want the kids' voices to be heard, and we don’t feel like that’s being talked about in the State of Illinois," Brown told Patch.

Brown went on to explain that he worries about the mental health of children throughout the state without the social interaction of in-person classes. "Listen to the kids," Brown said. "They want to be back in school they need to be back in the school," he added, "To see the smiles of their teachers. To get a pat on the back from a coach."

Parents Overwhelmingly Want In-Person Classes: IL Patch Survey

Brown said he and his children were set to start the school year with hybrid learning before new guidance came out from IDPH that led the district to change course just before school started. Brown's son, a senior football player in high school, is especially struggling, according to Brown.

"The rules keep changing," Brown said, adding that his son thought he would be able to play football for his senior year, then thought he would be able to see his classmates in person before finding out he would begin the year remotely.

Brown explained that those behind the push for in-person classes "stand with teachers" too. He stressed that he and his children don't want a return to classes to be done "recklessly." "They want to do it in a safe way," Brown added.

"It's hard to stay motivated when you're staring at a screen all day," Brown said, adding, "There’s no way anyone can convince me this isn’t taking a massive toll on the kids.”

Brown explained that he told his children, "We’re your advocates, and we’re going to fight for you."