A Chicago Public Faculties (CPS) coverage permits unlawful immigrant college students excused absences in the event that they or their relations are afraid of federal immigration enforcement actions within the space.
A doc referred to as Chicago Public Faculties’ Attendance Coding for Security Considerations Associated to Federal Consultant Exercise, obtained by training watchdog Defending Schooling, affirms that unlawful immigrant college students will be marked as “excused” if a mother or father conveys to the college that they worry federal immigration authorities.
Immigration enforcement actions are dubbed “federal representative-related procedures” within the faculty’s coverage, which was reaffirmed by the college board in February.
“If a mother or father/guardian reviews an absence and attributes it to worry of federal representative-related procedures, faculties CAN excuse the absence below ‘concern for scholar well being and security,’” the coverage says. “Within the memo field, ‘concern for scholar well being and security’ must be written.”
No particular particulars concerning the absence are required — simply {that a} scholar’s well being and security is perhaps in jeopardy — and the coverage explicitly states that “CPS coverage doesn’t present a time restrict” on how lengthy worry of federal immigration enforcement can be utilized to acquire excused absences.
The rationale for a scholar’s absence have to be communicated through one of many district’s authorised strategies to be thought-about an “excused absence.”
Additional, if a mother or father is “impacted by federal representative-related procedures,” she or he can designate a guardian to tell the college that the kid wants an excused absence.
One other provision within the coverage permits college students an excused absence in the event that they wish to attend a “Civic Occasion,” outlined as “an occasion sponsored by a non-profit group or governmental entity that’s open to the general public” that “contains, however shouldn’t be restricted to, an inventive or cultural efficiency or academic gathering that helps the mission of the sponsoring non-profit group.”
“Chicago Public Faculties is successfully telling households that worry of federal legislation enforcement is a standing excuse to maintain youngsters out of sophistication with no time restrict and no paper path,” stated Kendall Tietz, an investigative reporter at Defending Schooling.
“CPS shouldn’t be turning attendance coverage right into a sanctuary immigration software. As a substitute, public faculties must be centered on getting youngsters to highschool and retaining correct data, not quietly encouraging truancy and obstructing cooperation with federal authorities. This coverage undermines each scholar studying and the rule of legislation.”
The varsity system acquired greater than $1.5 billion in federal taxpayer funds in FY 2024, in line with its personal price range reporting.
CPS’ Workplace of Inspector Basic lately uncovered $14.5 million in “extreme” journey bills by the college system throughout FY 2023 and FY 2024, all whereas solely 30.5% of scholars in grades 3–8 have been proficient in studying, and simply 18.3% of scholars have been proficient in math within the spring of 2024.
CPS representatives didn’t return a request for remark.
