Kane County, Ill., sheriff's deputies spent Monday morning at Northwest Baptist Academy in Elgin, planning to ask parents to keep their children home from what was believed to be the last open school in the state, but school officials decided to move to e-learning before the start of the school day.
Undersheriff Patrick Gengler said his office had been in talks "all weekend starting Friday" with the school, which is part of the larger Northwest Bible Baptist Church community.
"We are waiting to see about today. We are not sure if they will open. They held church services yesterday, so we think they will try to continue," Gengler wrote in an email.
As of 8:30 a.m., however, Sheriff Ron Hain said the school was in compliance.
Gengler said deputies had planned to greet parents and hand out copies of a compliance letter, which reiterates Gov. J.B. Pritzker's statewide order limiting activities to those that are essential. But no parents showed. Then, just before school was to start, the church pastor pulled up to some waiting sheriff's patrol cars and said they heeded the warning and moved to e-learning instead.
"So far this is the only church/school that we know of that is not in compliance with the state," Gengler said before receiving notification the school closed.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker's executive order closed all kindergarten through 12th grade schools _ public and private _ "for educational purposes" from March 17 through March 30, with students returning to classes March 31. Gengler said school was held at Northwest Baptist Academy as recently as Friday, as far as he was aware.
School officials could not immediately be reached for comment. It wasn't clear whether they knew deputies would be at the school Monday morning, or why they didn't previously alert the sheriff's office about their decision to finally heed orders to close the school.
The school included a note about COVID-19 on both its school and church pages, though it was not clear when that note was written. It said "freedom to assemble and exercise religion is one of the most foundational and defended rights in our nation's history. This God-given right is protected by our Constitution and has been reaffirmed countless times by our courts amidst many attempts of government overreach."
It said any decisions would be made with wisdom and prayer.
"Closing the doors of a church is a momentous decision of great consequence, and one that is not to be made lightly. At Northwest Bible Baptist Church, decisions are made based on what is in the best interest of our people, not because of government mandates," the letter said.
Services were held at the church Sunday, Gengler said.
The church statement said those in attendance would notice changes, which included canceling fellowship before and after services, not using hymnals "in order to eliminate points of contact," closing the "coffee area," and disinfecting church pews and door handles before and after every service.
"More than ever, our community needs the essential services that only a Bible-preaching church can provide. We have trusted God in every situation in the past and we will continue to do so," it said.
Hain said officials will continue to monitor activity at the church "and work with our state's attorney to pursue any and all appropriate court orders necessary to ensure compliance."
