Pritzker to close all Illinois schools for remainder of academic year [View all]

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Friday he is closing schools for in-person instruction through the end of the academic year because of the coronavirus, leaving the state’s 2.2 million students with three months of disrupted schooling.

The governor and his team worked through the details of the extended closures this week and announced the decision at his daily afternoon press conference.

“Science says our students can’t go back to their normal routine,” Pritzker said. “To the parents who find themselves experiencing a world of emotions because of this pandemic, along with some extra stress with your kids at home all day, I promise you, you will get through this.”

By shutting down school buildings for the rest of the year, Illinois will join 27 states and 3 U.S. territories that have either ordered or recommended the same action, orders that have impacted more than 25 million students.

Read more: https://chicago.suntimes.com/coronavirus/2020/4/17/21225167/illinois-schools-closed-pritzker-year-coronavirus-cps-covid-19