Chicago Public High School Parents Have Been Asked Whether They'll Send Kids Back To Class, And Many Have Serious Doubts
CHICAGO (CBS) -- In just a matter of hours, Chicago Public Schools parents must decide whether they are sending their children back to the classroom.
With so little time left in the school year, many are wondering whether it is even worth it.
On Thursday evening, CBS 2's Jermont Terry talked to two parents with very different opinions.
If all goes as planned, high school students in the CPS system will return for in-person learning in some fashion on April 19. But before the doors reopen, CPS hopes to have a better gauge from parents whether they want to resume in person so late in the year.
With that in mind, questionnaires are flooding parents' emails to determine who is onboard.
"I personally would love to see her back in a routine of being amongst friends," sad parent Rashada Dawan.
Dawan said her 16-year-old daughter, Genesis Hale, has thrived with e-learning. But the mom knows social interaction is lacking – and going back to Gwendolyn Brooks College Preparatory Academy High School, 250 E. 111th St., too fast could backfire.
"She has really got to get reacclimatized to the social scene, and I don't want her grades to go down because of that," Dawan said.
"I am definitely on the fence," said Jarren Stroter.
Stroter is the mother of Madison Stroter, a sophomore at Kenwood Academy High School, 5015 S. Blackstone Ave. The mother does not see true benefits to sending her daughter back to school so late in the year – it will be the fourth quarter.
"I'm kind of fearful or more just questioning - does it really makes sense to go back with so little time left in the school year?" Stroter said.
Stroter said by the time Madison and others get back into the groove, everyone might lose out.
"I feel they've been disrupted so much in the past year or so that it might just be better to just wait than to go back," she said.
CPS leaders hope the survey will give them a better idea of what all parents want – and will lead to the smoothest transition reopen city high schools.
While both parents weigh the options, they understand their teenage girls have a say too.
"I actually in this situation probably would lean more to what it is that makes her feel comfortable," Dawan said.
"I don't know if I would have been able to adjust to this in the way that they have," Stroter said.
The fourth-quarter opt-in survey is due on Friday, so as of Thursday night, CPS said it did not have any results on how parents are leaning.
Terry tried to get CPS to explain if summer school might get expanded with so many students needing extra help. The district said it will share summer school plans in the very near future.
