St. Paul Public Schools Offer Online Classes Amid Immigration Enforcement Concerns
St. Paul public school students can enroll in online classes if they feel unsafe attending class in person due to the immigration enforcement action in the Twin Cities. Students and families interested in virtual learning should contact their current school’s principal or the district’s student placement center as soon as possible and request enrollment in the SPPS Online School, according to a statement from the school board. The online school enrolls students K-12.
Requests at a later date to transfer a student back to their in-person school will be honored and officials are discussing a temporary remote learning option, Superintendent Stacie Stanley said in a video address to families Monday. The St. Paul Public School Board reiterated that ICE agents are not permitted on school grounds without a court-signed judicial warrant and the district will not coordinate with ICE operations.
Protection of Students and Families
The district also will do everything within its legal authority to protect students and families from immigration enforcement in schools, the statement said. As of Monday, no ICE or other federal agents have come to district buildings, according to Stanley. If ICE activity is suspected, the principal informs the district security team who will verify it with local law enforcement, she said. If needed, the school will keep students and staff in the building until the area is clear. Parents will be notified if a safety concern impacts their school, she said.
Board members also said in their statement that their “hearts are broken” for the family of Renée Good, the 37-year-old woman who was shot and killed by an immigration officer in Minneapolis on Wednesday. “We grieve alongside the students and families in the Saint Paul Public Schools community who have been torn from us by ICE enforcement actions,” the statement continued.
Support from Other Schools
Meanwhile, Tim Sullivan, the academic director for the charter school St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, said in a communication to families Monday that the school “remains committed to providing a safe, supportive learning environment for every student, regardless of immigration status, as required by state and federal law.” Staff are trained to immediately notify school administration if any immigration or law enforcement agency comes to the school so that proper legal procedures are followed, Sullivan wrote.
Minneapolis Public Schools were closed Thursday and Friday and activities were canceled after a report of armed U.S. Border Patrol officers at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. The officers entered school property during Wednesday’s dismissal period, Minnesota Public Radio reported. Minneapolis students returned to in-person classes Monday, with the option to choose remote learning through Feb. 12.
For more information on SPPS safety policies and resources for families, go to spps.org/immigration. Read the full story Here
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