Chicago is facing significant financial challenges, with its public school system staring down a substantial budget deficit, while millions in city and grant funds have been allocated for services supporting migrants and asylum seekers. Pastor Corey Brooks, founder of Project H.O.O.D., has voiced strong criticism regarding this allocation, arguing that resources are being diverted from the needs of the city's own children.
Brooks pointed to alarming statistics from Dulles Elementary School on the city's South Side, where only 13.7% of students are proficient in English language arts and a mere 3.9% are proficient in math. He noted that Dulles spends approximately $16,200 per student, a figure significantly lower than the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district average, which is estimated between $27,000 and $32,000 per student.
"How is this inequity possible in this age of DEI?" Brooks questioned, referencing the city's political leanings and its mayor's stated commitments to racial equity. He expressed concern over the disparity in school spending, particularly given the district's projected budget deficit of roughly $732 million.
Last summer, CPS laid off 1,458 employees, including 432 teachers and 677 special education assistants, due to budget shortfalls. While the board has proposed restoring some cuts by anticipating an additional $150 million from the state, this funding has not been committed. Brooks argued that this approach exacerbates the city's financial difficulties and does not address the core issue.
The city's inspector general reported that approximately $639.6 million in city and grant funds were spent on services for new arrivals between August 2022 and the end of 2024. Brooks contends that these unrestricted public funds could have been directed toward struggling schools.
"Every dollar of unrestricted public money spent on one priority is a dollar that cannot be spent on another, including our schools," Brooks stated. He emphasized a moral imperative to prioritize the city's own children, particularly those from generational poverty on the South Side, who he feels are being overlooked.
Brooks described the conditions in South Side schools, where students struggle with grade-level reading, special-needs children require consistent support, and teachers are increasingly stretched thin. He believes that the city's budget priorities send an unmistakable message to these children: "You are not the priority."
He called on Mayor Brandon Johnson to address the needs of his constituents who voted for him, questioning if they are being treated as mere "pawns." Brooks reiterated his commitment to education as the foundation for opportunity, stating that until local children are prioritized, the challenges faced by schools on the South Side will persist.