SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Over 700 parents across Illinois have taken legal action against school districts, Governor J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the Illinois State Board of Education over COVID-19 mandates.

The lawsuit claims local health departments should have authority to quarantine or mandate masks, not the school districts.

On October 25, the group of parents released a statement through attorney Thomas DeVore, to elaborate on the reasons for suing 145 Illinois school districts.

“More than 700 Illinois parents brought legal action on behalf of their children, carrying out their parental duty to protect their children, and, indeed, all children of this State, from further transgressions by the executive branch of government,” part of the statement read. “It’s far past time we restore the system of self-governance upon which this nation was founded. If the legislature won’t act to reign in these abuses, our only recourse to seek redress is the judiciary. Our children deserve no less.”

According to these parents, Pritzker has continuously issued, “one-man edicts, mandates, orders, and one size fits all guidance,” throughout the pandemic. They added he’s done this without any public discourse and the parents claim the people’s rights rights under due process under the law were, “shredded at every turn.”

“The constant promise of a better tomorrow, if we all just do our part to ‘flatten the curve’, now rings hollow as children endure their third school year of capricious executive dictates, none of which have been deliberated upon and made into law by the legislature,” read part of the statement.

The parents say they will not sit by while they wait for facts and science behind the mandate decisions, which go “unanswered” anyways. They reference the country being, “founded upon three co-equal branches of government and the executive cannot rule like a king.”

The full statement can be read here.