This morning, Feb. 9, KJ Sniff was held in the principal’s office for over two hours for simply refusing a mask today at Normal West and was given the punishment of missing out on senior night.
Sniff has autism and has made the school aware of that disorder and has provided the school with the proper documentation, but despite this they told Sniff he could not participate in senior night this Friday. Sniff is the basketball manger and said he was excited to thank his dad for all the support over the years at senior night.
This is the second time now where Sniff hasn’t worn a mask, which is why Unit 5 will now exclude him from extracurricular activities. Sniff can’t participate at all in senior night, but is not willing to compromise his anxiety issues and constitutional rights.
“I decided to unmask because I feel like it’ll help me to learn better and also to help other people. My goal is that, in this peaceful protest of unmasking, it’ll encourage and help others and tell them they’re not alone in this matter and you have a right to voice your opinion,” said Sniff. “I do believe that my autism and masks do not go along together.”
The assistant principal Sylvester Davis pulled Sniff from class and told him to wait in the principal office, for what? Sniff said he had no idea what he was waiting for. Sniff is under the impression that his third time refusing a mask will result in detention or some sort of disciplinary measure. Because this was his second time refusing to wear a mask, the school came up with the punishment of Sniff not participating in Senior Night at the basketball game.
“They were going to play a video that I made about my senior night. And I was gonna read a letter of thanks for my dad for always being there for me. Now I can’t do that because I’m not wearing a mask,” said Sniff. “I film all the games and all the practices. So my role for senior night was going to be walking mid-court with my mom and my dad and my favorite teacher…”
Sniff said he and his family are filing a discrimination complaint with the office for civil rights and not the police.
Policing and the continued masking of students despite ruling
State’s Attorney Don Knapp said the process for following this ruling against the mask mandate and the role of law enforcement would mirror all other criminal reports made.
“I have not heard any calls for service or issues that have rose to the level of police involvement,” said Bloomington Police public affairs officer John Fermon. Now if there were, Fermon said the BPD would respond to the call for service and determine if a crime occurred.
Knapp said there’s about 14,000 police reports written every year, but he said he has not been made aware of any reports filed pertaining mask mandates at the schools.
There is a some type of report filed at the Normal Police department, that file# is 202201547. Normal Police has not responded for comment about that report.
“Regarding what police officers will and will not enforce, that is something you’re going to have to talk with specifically to the police departments about, they don’t work for me the way my office operates, whether it’s trespassing or capital murder… our professional police departments and information gatherers go out and take police reports and gather information and evidence. Then when they deem it appropriate, they send it to our office to review to see whether criminal charges are appropriate,” said Knapp.
Knapp said he hasn’t reviewed the litigation from Sangoman County court. Knapp said there hasn’t been any reports sent up to him regarding the masking issue at the schools.
“Maybe half of them are sent over here to screen for charges. So I don’t see every one of them, but that’s what I know is going on at this moment right now.”
