Chicago City Wire

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has come under fire for blocking low-income students protesting in support of the Invest in Kids Act from his Chicago office.

The Invest in Kids tax scholarship program is the state's sole school choice program.

“Locking kids out of his offices like he's locking kids out of their private schools,” Corey DeAngelis said on X.

While Pritzker has said in recent days he will sign legislation extending the Invest in Kids Act, Democrats in the General Assembly are still seeking to defund parts of the program.

Pritzker’s office kept the protesting students in favor of the program on the sidewalk in front of his Chicago office. The students were waving a banner and chanting “Governor Pritzker, save our scholarships!”

Critics argue that locking the protesting children out of his office is inconsistent with the governor's choice to send his own children to private schools.

“BREAKING: @GovPritzker's staff just locked low-income students out of his Chicago office,” Illinois Policy said on X.

“They’re rallying in support of the Invest in Kids Act.”

“It's the state's only school choice program.”

“Pritzker sends his own kids to private schools.”

Teddi Pritzker, the older of Pritzker's two children, attended Francis W. Parker in Chicago. It is one of the most selective private schools in the region.

The school carries an out-of-pocket cost of $40,930 per year. 99% of its graduates go on to four year universities after graduation.

Donny Pritzker attended Latin School of Chicago where the tuition costs parents $43,020 per year.

At Latin School of Chicago, 100 percent of students are admitted to 4-year colleges and universities.

Both Francis W. Parker and Latin School of Chicago also have high rates of graduates who go to Ivy League schools.

Around 7% of Parker graduates and over 6% of Latin graduates go to Ivy League schools.

Meanwhile, only 60.8% of Chicago students who attend Chicago Public Schools enroll at four or two year colleges following graduation.

Gerardo Valdivia Sr., a father of five, told Chicago City Wire that if he loses the Invest in Kids tax scholarship his kids receive he’ll need to take on a second job and lose out on more family time.

He pointed out the hypocrisy of Pritkzer, who was born wealthy.

“If Governor Pritzker feels like he doesn't need to fund or help the investing kid program, then send your own kids to public school. Have your grandkids go to a public school,” Valdivia said.

“Why is it that my kids have to be a statistic based on the neighborhood that we live in? Why should they have to not be able to go to a public private school when there's clearly people out there that are trying to fund this program and donate it to a program that's going to keep them out of the streets, it's going to keep them out of that neighborhood, too.”

The program also faces strong opposition from teacher's unions, with Chicago Teacher’s Union President Stacy Davis Gates being among its vocal critics.

She has been criticized for using racially charged language when referring to private schools, labeling them as "Segregation Academies."

Davis Gates has faced accusations of hypocrisy for choosing to send her own children to private schools despite her strong opposition to school choice for others.