We must support immigrant children in Chicago schools

When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott decided to use the human suffering and displacement of immigrant families as a cheap electoral punching bag, Chicagoans backed our words with action. People distributed food, lawyers showed up to enforce legal rights and shelters opened their doors to tired babies in need of warm beds.

Our tradition as a welcoming city spans decades, from Black people fleeing Southern racist terrorism after Reconstruction to Eastern Europeans escaping rabid anti-semitism, from Irish workers fleeing famine to Central Americans breaking free from economic displacement and gang violence.

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Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago, la sección bilingüe del Sun-Times.

Toxic politics will not shake our core belief that we are all better off because of immigration, and our identity as a city and country is wedded to an unconditional embrace of those who come here seeking opportunity and peace. We cannot relent in this conviction when it comes to our public schools.

Immigrant children deserve and are legally entitled to an education, regardless of their language, legal status or country of origin. This requires tireless work on behalf of teachers and community organizers, to ensure schools are welcoming, fully funded and staffed, and ready to educate and heal.

During my eight years as a bilingual teacher, I have had the privilege of working with scores of newcomer students, mostly from Central and South America. The work is challenging beyond words. A majority of our instructional resources are available only in English, as are selective enrollment tests for high school applications.

Combined with the chronic shortage of bilingual teachers and social workers, we have our work cut out for us. Many of our newcomers bring trauma and pain from family separations, maltreatment while in custody at the border or unimaginable violence they have witnessed.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot, her hand-picked Board of Education and CEO Pedro Martinez must make real commitments to ensuring our schools become the sanctuaries we profess them to be.

These newcomers are a blessing and an opportunity for a school district struggling with declining enrollment. Chicago needs to truly welcome new immigrants in word and in deed, not only as the just, moral and humane thing to do but because our well-being depends on it.

I ask CPS, the mayor, school administrators and teachers to make this moment count. Set it straight that Chicago is a city of immigrants, workers, teachers and students all working together for justice, peace and healing.

Gabriel C. Paez, bilingual education coordinator and CTU delegate
Cameron Elementary, Humboldt Park

Bystanders should turn off cellphones and help crime victims

I have noticed the trend where so-called “good samaritans” instead of helping the victim during an incident or attack, start recording the ordeal with their cell phones.

This happened when the toddler was shoved into the lake at Navy Pier, and nobody present jumped into the lake to save the little boy until rescuers came. On the CTA Red Line, a victim was robbed and struck with a wine bottle, while persons at the scene recorded the incident instead of coming to the victim’s aid.

What is this world coming to?

Sergio Gaytan, Pilsen