Teachers in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district have come forward with claims that they were directed to pass migrant students during the most recent school year, regardless of their academic performance.
According to a report from WGN Radio, several elementary school teachers revealed that they were told to give migrant students a 70 percent grade in each subject and promote them to the next grade level, even when those students had not met the necessary academic requirements.
The teachers expressed frustration over this directive, especially since many of the migrant students they were working with did not speak English, while the teachers themselves did not speak Spanish.
This language barrier made it extremely challenging to teach the essential material.
One teacher, as reported by WGN News’ Sylvia Snowden, shared that she had to rely on Google Translate and assistance from the school’s Spanish teacher just to communicate with her migrant students for the entire school year.
These revelations contradict earlier claims made by CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, who had stated that migrant students were being held to the same academic standards as their Chicago-born peers.
However, following the teachers’ disclosures, a CPS spokesperson acknowledged that the district’s grading guidelines are indeed “modified to serve the specialized needs of English Language Learners,” indicating that there may be different standards in place for these students.
This controversy comes at a time when Chicago is grappling with a significant migrant crisis. Since 2022, nearly 50,000 migrants have been bused to the city from Texas, straining Chicago’s resources and infrastructure.
The city’s public services, including schools, have been impacted by this sudden influx of people, many of whom are seeking asylum and a fresh start.
The strain has been particularly evident in public schools, where teachers are now facing the challenge of educating a growing population of students who do not speak English and who are arriving with a variety of educational backgrounds.
The teachers’ claims highlight concerns that these students are being passed through the system without receiving the support they need to succeed academically.
The issue also raises broader concerns about the ability of Chicago’s schools to cope with the increasing demand for resources.
As the city continues to receive thousands of migrants, there is growing pressure on the school system to provide adequate support for all students, regardless of their language skills or educational history.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has publicly called on the federal government to provide additional funding to help the city manage the ongoing migrant crisis.
According to NBC Chicago, over the past two years, the city has spent more than $400 million on services for migrants, including housing, healthcare, and education.
Despite these efforts, Chicago’s homeless population has surged, with many migrant families struggling to find stable housing.
As the city seeks solutions to both the migrant crisis and the challenges facing its schools, the allegations from CPS teachers shed light on the difficulties of maintaining educational standards in an environment where resources are stretched thin.
The city must now balance its responsibilities to both its existing residents and the migrant population while ensuring that all students receive the education they deserve.
The situation underscores the need for long-term strategies to address the educational and social challenges posed by the influx of migrants, as well as greater support from the federal government to help cities like Chicago manage these issues effectively.
