Illinois Legislators respond to citizens by asking the Department of Public Health to explain itself

Jessica Hockett, PhD

Illinois Parents, I have good news and bad news. 

Good News: The Illinois Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) responded to my and other citizens’ requests to interrogate claims the Illinois Department of Public Health made about schools’ authority under the communicable disease code.

JCAR’s questions reflect concerns I shared with committee members in a May 13, 2022 letter. I’m encouraged they took action.

Bad News: IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars responded to JCAR with a host of false claims. Granted, it’s largely actions and statements of former IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike that Tokars is being asked to explain and defend. (FYI, Ezike continued to display ignorance of the health code and related court decisions at a University of Chicago event two months ago.) 

Still, Dr. Tokars isn’t doing her reputation any favors by misinterpreting and obfuscating the law. She also sent the response the night before JCAR’s June 14, 2022 meeting, which (per JCAR staff) prevented the committee from being able to address it.

I’ve learned the hard way that too many legislators, health department officials, superintendents, and school board members read a response like this — which is on DPH letterhead and signed by a “director” — and accept the claims as true, even though nearly every sentence is false. 

“Can you back that up?”

More good news: Yes, I can. 🙂 

I’ve written to JCAR with my analysis of Dr. Tokars’ answer to their questions and will share that letter in my next post.

7/8/22 UPDATE: Letter posted.

Letter to JCAR: The Acting Director of IDPH is Wrong