Introduction to the Issue
CHICAGO — In an emotional discussion, Chicago school board members said district families are living in fear because of increasingly aggressive federal immigration raids, and some urged the district to offer virtual learning to immigrant students. At the board’s regular October meeting, a Chicago Teachers Union leader and several board members aligned with the union called for virtual learning, along with other steps to address increased immigration enforcement in the city.
The Call for Virtual Learning
When district CEO Macquline King noted that the district cannot shift to remote learning without an emergency declaration from the state’s governor, board member Emma Lozano urged district leaders to consider approaching Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration about doing so. “It is an emergency, period,” Lozano said, her voice breaking. “This is an emergency right now.” She added, “We need to work this out because our children are totally frightened they’ll come home and not find their parents there.”
District Response
The district, which has already launched an around-the-clock command center to respond to enforcement-related concerns, is meeting twice every day to triage requests for help from schools and is fielding calls until late at night, said King. District officials said Thursday that attendance at the start of this school year overall remains on par with the same period last year, though there have been slight dips of 1% or less for Latino students and English learners. Data obtained by Chalkbeat for the first month of the year showed larger dips in some schools in predominantly Latino neighborhoods.
Student Concerns
Destiny Singleton, the board’s honorary student member, broke down in tears as she spoke about how students are alerting each other about Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence near schools in text chains and on social media. “I feel we shouldn’t have to do this because we are children,” she said. “We are terrified.” In recent weeks, during “Operation Midway Blitz,” Chicago has been at the center of stepped-up raids by immigration enforcement agents and increasingly confrontational tactics, including an instance when agents used tear gas in the vicinity of an elementary school and another where heavily armed agents stormed a South Side apartment building.
School Community Impact
While the Thursday meeting was underway, Juarez High School’s principal sent a letter to families to say that a member of that school community had been detained by immigration agents in a nearby neighborhood. It was not clear from the letter who was detained. Board members on Thursday also called on the district to provide more signage for schools and to explore allowing earlier school dropoffs and the opportunity for families concerned about running into immigration agents to return to schools after pickups. Some had raised the possibility of virtual learning earlier, but they pushed harder for considering it at Thursday’s meeting.
District Support
King said district and school leaders have been consumed with responding to immigration activity near schools and affecting family members and staff. She especially praised CPS principals, saying they have added the role of “school protectors” to the many responsibilities they juggle. “CPS will remain vigilant during this time and continue to do everything it can to support our staff, families, and students,” King said. King said schools have responded forcefully to immigration concerns, including by posting more staff around school buildings and organizing “walking school buses,” in which volunteers walk to and from school with families concerned about encounters with immigration agents.
Challenges and Limitations
Board member Karen Zaccor said the district should heed calls for virtual learning from families fearful of taking their children to and from school. “Increasingly, we are hearing from our families a desire to have that as an option,” she said. King said the district’s senior leadership team has discussed that possibility, but, she stressed, “As a district, CPS does not have the authority to call remote learning.” Board member Carlos Rivas echoed those limitations during the meeting and later said he is also concerned about how access to child care and technology would hamper a shift to virtual learning to some families.
Conclusion
The issue of virtual learning access is sensitive for the district, which had an extended stretch in remote learning during the pandemic and struggled with offering hybrid options, in which some students log in virtually while others are in the classroom. Like other districts, Chicago is still working on addressing the academic fallout from the pandemic. As the district navigates the complexities of responding to increased immigration enforcement, it must balance the needs of its diverse student population with the logistical and legal challenges of implementing virtual learning options.
FAQs
- Q: What is the main concern of Chicago school board members regarding immigrant families?
A: The main concern is the increasingly aggressive federal immigration raids, which are causing fear among district families and potentially affecting student attendance. - Q: What solution have some board members proposed to address this concern?
A: Some board members have proposed offering virtual learning to immigrant students as a way to ensure their safety and continued education. - Q: What are the limitations to implementing virtual learning in the district?
A: The district does not have the authority to call remote learning without an emergency declaration from the state’s governor, and there are concerns about access to child care and technology for some families. - Q: How has the district responded to immigration concerns so far?
A: The district has launched an around-the-clock command center, met twice daily to triage requests for help, and fielded calls until late at night. Schools have also responded by posting more staff around buildings and organizing “walking school buses.”
