Superintendents from public school districts across the state joined forces Wednesday in Springfield to oppose Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandate after dozens of districts were put on probation this week for refusing to comply.

Despite Illinois State Board of Education Superintendent Carmen Ayala declaring that officials would not discuss the state’s school mask mandate at Wednesday’s board meeting, several state educators and parents stepped up to express their concerns that the governor’s executive order is distracting educators and polarizing communities.

The only school in the Chicago area that was disciplined by the state was Elmhurst private school Timothy Christian Schools, which had its status restored after agreeing to comply. Several public school districts put on probation have told the state they will comply with the recommendation, and once that is verified, they will be removed from the list, ISBE spokeswoman Jackie Matthews said Wednesday.

While some parents have fiercely protested the mask mandate, Ayala said she is getting emails every day from “parents in Illinois wondering if it’s safe to send their child with asthma or diabetes to school.”