North Cook News

Gary Rabine has had enough of what he sees as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s one-man rule when it comes to the subject of school policy in the age of COVID-19.

“Stop bullying Illinois children into getting an experimental vaccine,” the Bull Valley businessman who recently launched his campaign against Pritzker posted on Facebook and Twitter. “I’m calling on JB Pritzker to immediately issue an executive order banning K-12 school districts, private schools and colleges in Illinois from mandating and requiring students to get a COVID vaccine.”

Rabine’s outrage stems from the growing number of college campuses across the state now mandating that all students be vaccinated prior to the start of the upcoming fall semester. With Northwestern University recently joining the list, students who haven’t received the vaccine will be required to wear face coverings and take part in on-campus testing that includes multiple checks each week.

Those like Rabine that have been critical of the governor’s orders are quick to point out of the three COVID vaccinations now on the market only the Pfizer shot is approved by the FDA for emergency use in children ages 12-18.

Rabine says Pritzker's lack of concern about the common voter is fueling his run.

“I’m running because I can see my family, my friends’ families and so many others that just want to get out of here,” he recently told IllinoisChannelTV. “It bothers me so bad. I’ve been in business for 40 years, the last 20 building businesses as a leader, understanding what great leadership looks like and it’s not what we see in our governor and our mayor of Chicago. I’m confident we need a leadership mindset that understands how to build leaders and doesn’t rule like royalty.”