TEACHx 2026

Large-scale immigration enforcement initiatives do not stop at the targeted communities. They enter classrooms. This session presents findings from two qualitative studies examining how Operation Midway Blitz shaped educator well-being, instructional decision-making, and professional practice in Chicagoland schools. Drawing on focus groups with teacher candidates and interviews with practicing educators and community experts, the research explores how educators navigated political tension, emotional strain, and shifting student needs while sustaining instructional quality.
Participants describe changes in curriculum, classroom climate, family communication, and professional identity. They also identify the formal and informal supports that enabled them to continue teaching effectively in a climate of uncertainty.
Aligned with the conference theme of "Leading through Uncertainty", presenters will share a practical support framework for teacher preparation programs and school leaders to better equip educators during large-scale social and political disruption.
Attendees will leave with research-informed strategies for supporting educator well-being, strengthening trauma-informed practice, and preparing teachers to respond ethically and instructionally when policy enters the classroom.