{"id":2518458,"date":"2025-12-07T08:40:59","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T13:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/public-school-students-allowed-to-skip-classes-in-chicago-if-they-fear-ice\/"},"modified":"2025-12-07T08:43:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T13:43:00","slug":"public-school-students-allowed-to-skip-classes-in-chicago-if-they-fear-ice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/public-school-students-allowed-to-skip-classes-in-chicago-if-they-fear-ice\/","title":{"rendered":"Public School Students Allowed to Skip Classes in Chicago if They &#8216;Fear&#8217; ICE"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpublic-school-students-allowed-to-skip-classes-in-chicago-if-they-fear-ice%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2518458&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has implemented a policy allowing students to receive excused absences if they or their family members express fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids or related federal immigration enforcement activities in the city. According to a document titled &#8220;attendance coding for safety Concerns Related to Federal Representative Activity,&#8221; parents can request that their children&#8217;s absences be marked as excused due to concerns about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/soros-backed-philadelphia-da-considered-helping-non-citizens-accused-of-rape-murder-avoid-deportation-records-show\/\" title=\"Soros-Backed Philadelphia DA Considered Helping Non-Citizens Accused Of Rape, Murder Avoid Deportation, Records Show\">federal immigration authorities<\/a>, with no specified time limit on these excused absences. The policy permits parents or guardians to notify the school of absences linked to fear of enforcement actions, which are coded under &#8220;concern for student health and safety.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>This policy was highlighted in a report by Defending Education and covered by Fox News, sparking debate. Investigative reporter Kendall Tietz criticized CPS for <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >effectively enabling unlimited excused absences<\/a> without paperwork, calling it a misuse of attendance policy that encourages truancy and undermines both student learning and the rule of law.<\/p>\n<p>CPS has seen a significant increase in immigrant students in recent years, with over 5,700 new immigrant arrivals during the 2023-2024 school year. The district has publicly stated its efforts to welcome these students and their families, tho detailed demographic data on migrant students or those living in shelters has not been fully disclosed.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Chicago Public Schools allows students to receive excused absences if they or their family members are concerned about Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in the city.<\/p>\n<p>The government school district has a document, entitled &ldquo;Attendance Coding for Safety Concerns Related to Federal Representative Activity,&rdquo; that says parents can convey a fear of federal immigration authorities in order to mark their children &ldquo;excused.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The document was obtained by Defending Education, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/chicago-public-schools-policy-allows-unlimited-absences-for-illegal-alien-children-amid-ice-operations\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">report<\/a> from Fox News.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If a parent\/guardian reports an absence and attributes it to fear of federal representative-related procedures, schools CAN excuse the absence under &lsquo;concern for student health and safety,&#8217;&rdquo; the policy reads, per the outlet.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the memo box, &lsquo;concern for student health and safety&rsquo; should be written.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=s28Az7AY\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>The policy even says that &ldquo;CPS policy does not provide a time limit&rdquo; for the excused absences, meaning that students could indefinitely be excused from school over a purported fear of ICE raids.<\/p>\n<p>Parents can also choose a guardian to inform the school of a needed excused absence if they are themselves &ldquo;impacted by federal representative-related procedures.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">New docs obtained by <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DefendingEd?\">@DefendingEd<\/a> show Chicago Public Schools instructing staff to mark unlimited absences, tardies and early dismissals as &ldquo;excused&rdquo; when families say they fear ICE or &ldquo;federal representative&rdquo; activity, with no time limit and no paper trail. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OQYUT7L00j\">pic.twitter.com\/OQYUT7L00j<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Kendall Tietz (@kendall_tietz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/kendall_tietz\/status\/1995578240715686369?\">December 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Kendall Tietz, an investigative reporter at Defending Education, told Fox News that &ldquo;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.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;CPS should not be turning attendance policy into a sanctuary immigration tool,&rdquo; Tietz contended.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Instead, public schools should be focused on getting kids to school and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-speaker-backed-comed-board-member-testifies-at-madigan-corruption-trial-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Former Speaker-backed ComEd board member testifies at Madigan corruption trial - Washington Examiner\">keeping accurate records<\/a>, not quietly encouraging truancy and obstructing cooperation with federal authorities,&rdquo; she added.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This policy undermines both student learning and the rule of law.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Chicago Public Schools has witnessed an influx of students in recent years as more migrants arrived in the Windy City.<\/p>\n<p>Chalkbeat <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chalkbeat.org\/chicago\/2024\/02\/08\/chicago-public-schools-sees-more-migrant-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reported<\/a> in early 2024 that there were over 5,700 new immigrant students since the start of that school year.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our principals and teachers and school communities have been incredibly welcoming to the students and their families,&rdquo; Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez said at the time.<\/p>\n<p>The data released by Chicago Public Schools did not specify what  of their student population lives in city shelters or comes from migrant families.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ]; 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The district has a policy document called &#8220;Attendance Coding for Safety Concerns Related to Federal Representative Activity,&#8221; which allows parents to report fear of federal immigration agents as a reason for excused absences<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2518459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Michael-Featured-Image-383.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4387,8364,49206,50422],"class_list":["post-2518458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-chicago","tag-ice","tag-public-school","tag-student-rights"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Michael-Featured-Image-383.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2518458"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2518462,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2518458\/revisions\/2518462"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2518459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2518458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2518458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2518458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}