A New York City preschool is facing intense scrutiny after a video surfaced showing students participating in a politically charged exercise related to immigration enforcement.
The footage, shared by Libs of TikTok, depicts children at Chloe Day School & Wellness Center in Harlem chanting slogans opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
In the video, the school’s director, Dr. Sanayi Beckles-Canton, prompts students through phrases such as “Stop the hating!” and “Love is enough! Stop hurting people!”
One child, coached by the teacher, says, “I feel angry because I don’t like to see others hurt or taken away from their families.”
Classroom signs display messages like “We are stronger together.”
While ICE and President Donald Trump are not explicitly mentioned, the context connects the activity to protests against immigration enforcement.
Beckles-Canton explained that inclement weather prevented students from joining outdoor demonstrations and that staff could not leave children unsupervised.
She described the classroom activity as a gesture of solidarity with ongoing protests across the city.
Chloe Day School presents itself as a progressive, trauma-informed institution inspired by Reggio Emilia principles, the Patriot Fetch noted.
Its curriculum emphasizes child development, family support, diversity, inclusion, and social-emotional learning.
The school prioritizes exploration, play, and engagement as central components in fostering growth, understanding, and a sense of community among students.
Critics argue the activity crossed ethical boundaries.
Many social media users questioned whether preschoolers can meaningfully understand complex political topics and whether guiding them in chants constitutes manipulation.
“Children this age want to please adults, so it’s easy to steer their responses,” one commenter noted.
Others emphasized that early education should focus on foundational skills like literacy, numeracy, and socialization rather than orchestrated political messaging.
The incident has intensified the debate over the role of educators in discussing social and political issues in classrooms.
Proponents of progressive education contend that early exposure helps children develop empathy, civic awareness, and a sense of justice, while opponents argue that structured political exercises compromise neutrality and exploit impressionable minds.
Chloe Day School had not publicly addressed the controversy at the time of reporting.
Beckles-Canton, who also serves on the Citywide Council on Special Education, has not released a statement, and the council has remained silent, according to Inquisitr.
Experts say the episode highlights growing concerns over the role of political messaging in early childhood classrooms.
While socially aware curricula are often framed as fostering empathy, activities that advance a particular political viewpoint raise questions about adult influence and the potential for inadvertent indoctrination among developmentally young students.
The controversy surrounding Chloe Day School reflects a broader national debate over how early education programs can responsibly address societal issues without exposing children to partisan narratives or ideological instruction.
As schools increasingly navigate the intersection of social awareness, ethics, and pedagogy, educators and policymakers face pressure to balance civic education with age-appropriate instruction, ensuring students are guided without being shaped toward political beliefs before they are capable of forming independent views.
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