Chicago teachers say they were told to give migrant students passing grades

Sep 20

Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Shea Taylor (Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

In the last few years, a number of undocumented immigrants have entered the U.S. from the southern border. States like Texas have sent busloads of migrants to cities and states with more immigrant-friendly policies. Chicago, Illinois, was one of those cities.

Since Texas started bussing migrants there in 2022, more than 50,000 migrants have been brought to the city, with many choosing to stay there. Now, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teachers say they were told by administrators to give migrant students passing grades.

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The teachers told WGN Radio they do not speak Spanish, and the students often did not speak English, making communication all but impossible. They also said many schools do not offer any English as a second language (ESL) support.

Despite that, Chicago teachers say they were instructed to give every migrant student a 70% in every subject so they could move on to the next grade.

Before Chicago Public Schools was aware teachers had talked to WGN, a spokesperson told the local station CPS held migrant students to the same academic standards as everyone else. However, after the report came out, CPS said its guidelines for promoting students to the next grade are “modified to serve the special needs of English language learners.”

WGN said a CPS representative has stated that the district could not check whether the teachers’ claims were true because the names of the students, schools and teachers were not given.

Tags: Chicago, Illinois, Immigration, Migrant buses, Migrant children, migrants, School districts, schools, students, teachers, Texas

Lauren Taylor

AS THOUSANDS OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ENTERED THE U-S FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS… STATES LIKE TEXAS SENT BUS LOADS OF MIGRANTS TO CITIES AND STATES WITH MORE IMMIGRANT-FRIENDLY POLICIES.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS WAS ONE OF THOSE CITIES.

SINCE TEXAS STARTED BUSSING MIGRANTS THERE IN 20-22 – MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND MIGRANTS WERE BROUGHT TO THE CITY, WITH MANY CHOOSING TO STAY THERE.

NOW, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS SAY THEY WERE TOLD BY ADMINISTRATORS TO GIVE MIGRANT STUDENTS PASSING GRADES.

THE TEACHERS TELLING W-G-N RADIO THEY DO NOT SPEAK SPANISH – AND THE STUDENTS OFTEN DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH, MAKING COMMUNICATION ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE.

THEY ALSO SAY MANY SCHOOLS DO *NOT* OFFER ANY ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE SUPPORT.

DESPITE THAT – CHICAGO TEACHERS SAY THEY WERE INSTRUCTED TO GIVE *EVERY* MIGRANT STUDENT A 70 PERCENT IN EVERY SUBJECT… SO THEY COULD MOVE ON TO THE NEXT GRADE.

*BEFORE* CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS AWARE TEACHERS HAD TALKED TO W-G-N – A SPOKESPERSON TOLD THE LOCAL STATION C-P-S HELD MIGRANT STUDENTS TO THE SAME ACADEMIC STANDARDS AS EVERYONE ELSE.

HOWEVER, *AFTER* THE REPORT CAME OUT… C-P-S SAID ITS GUIDELINES FOR PROMOTING STUDENTS TO THE NEXT GRADE ARE QUOTE “MODIFIED TO SERVE THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.”

W-G-N SAID A C-P-S REPRESENTATIVE SAID THE DISTRICT COULD NOT CHECK WHETHER THE TEACHERS’ CLAIMS WERE TRUE – BECAUSE THE NAMES OF THE STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, AND TEACHERS WERE NOT GIVEN.