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birdwatcherChicago Tribune -- Martha Padilla-Ramos and Jose Barrera fondly remember the long car rides south to Mexico each December when they were children. At the end of the trek awaited their cousins, delicious food, trips to church and days of parties to celebrate Christmas.
It was a beloved part of their childhood, so the Chicago-area school administrators understand why [Mexican] families make the annual trek to their homelands. But they can't understand why so many families -- an estimated 10 percent of the Hispanic students in Waukegan, for example -- plan these trips to last a month or more, far beyond the traditional two-week holiday break Illinois schools allow.
Although most local schools are holding classes through Friday, many of [Mexican] families already have been gone a week or more. In addition to falling behind in their schoolwork, educators said, the students are in danger of being labeled truant and could perform poorly on standardized tests that help determine if their schools meet federal No Child Left Behind guidelines.
It was a beloved part of their childhood, so the Chicago-area school administrators understand why [Mexican] families make the annual trek to their homelands. But they can't understand why so many families -- an estimated 10 percent of the Hispanic students in Waukegan, for example -- plan these trips to last a month or more, far beyond the traditional two-week holiday break Illinois schools allow.
Although most local schools are holding classes through Friday, many of [Mexican] families already have been gone a week or more. In addition to falling behind in their schoolwork, educators said, the students are in danger of being labeled truant and could perform poorly on standardized tests that help determine if their schools meet federal No Child Left Behind guidelines.
