In a move that has sparked significant debate, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has implemented a policy permitting illegal immigrant students to receive excused absences if they or their families express fear of federal immigration enforcement activities.
This policy, detailed in a document titled "Chicago Public Schools' Attendance Coding for Safety Concerns Related to Federal Representative Activity," was brought to light by the education watchdog group, Defending Education.
According to Fox News, the policy allows absences to be marked as "excused" when a parent communicates to the school that they are apprehensive about federal immigration authorities. These enforcement actions are referred to as "federal representative-related procedures" within the policy, which was reaffirmed by the CPS board in February.
The policy states, "If a parent/guardian reports an absence and attributes it to fear of federal representative-related procedures, schools CAN excuse the absence under 'concern for student health and safety.'" It further instructs that "concern for student health and safety" should be noted in the memo box.
The policy notably lacks a requirement for specific details regarding the absence, merely necessitating that the student's health and safety could be at risk. Furthermore, it explicitly mentions that there is no time limit on how long this fear can be used to justify excused absences.
Communication of the reason for absence must be done through one of the district's approved methods to qualify as an "excused absence." Additionally, if a parent is "impacted by federal representative-related procedures," they can appoint a guardian to inform the school of the need for an excused absence.
Another aspect of the policy allows students to be excused for attending a "Civic Event," which is described as "an event sponsored by a non-profit organization or governmental entity that is open to the public," including artistic or cultural performances or educational gatherings that align with the mission of the sponsoring organization.
Critics of the policy, such as Kendall Tietz, an investigative reporter at Defending Education, argue that "Chicago Public Schools is effectively telling families that fear of federal law enforcement is a standing excuse to keep children out of class with no time limit and no paper trail."
Tietz contends, "CPS should not be turning attendance policy into a sanctuary immigration tool. Instead, public schools should be focused on getting kids to school and keeping accurate records, not quietly encouraging truancy and obstructing cooperation with federal authorities. This policy undermines both student learning and the rule of law."
The financial implications are also noteworthy, as CPS received over $1.5 billion in federal taxpayer funds for FY 2024, based on its budget reports. Meanwhile, the CPS Office of Inspector General recently uncovered $14.5 million in "excessive" travel expenses during FY 2023 and FY 2024. This revelation comes amid concerning academic performance statistics, with only 30.5% of students in grades 38 achieving proficiency in reading, and a mere 18.3% reaching proficiency in math as of spring 2024.
Despite requests for comment, CPS representatives have remained silent on the matter. The policy continues to raise questions about the balance between accommodating students' safety concerns and maintaining educational standards and accountability.
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