CPS Promises to End Controversial Carjacking Class

By Patrick Reilly

CHICAGO, IL - Following Mayor Lightfoot’s press conference last Monday, Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez has pledged to end the controversial remote carjacking classes offered in many K-12 programs.

“The mayor correctly pointed out the correlation between remote learning policies and an increase in violent car thefts,” said Martinez in a press release. “So we took stock of our current course offerings and made the difficult decision to no longer offer instruction on carjacking.”

Beginning in many schools as early as 10th grade, carjacking has become a popular elective during the pandemic, according to the mayor’s office. “Honestly, using remote learning to instruct students on proper intimidation tactics, getaway strategies, and beginner hotwiring may have been an oversight,” admits Martinez, describing the carjacking course.

Despite over 11,000 reported cases of Covid-19 among students in the 2021-22 school year, the mayor’s office has made returning to in-person infection a key point of their education policy throughout the pandemic. The move to at-home instruction greatly taxed the city’s resources, having to suddenly provide thousands of students with laptops, webcams, and ski-masks for carjackings.

“We understand that many parents and students will be disappointed by the ending of the carjacking program,” noted Martinez, “but this will provide the opportunity to divert more funding to our in-person offerings, especially Introduction to the American Prison System.”