St. Paul students marked absent after protests against ICE

By Esther Wickham
The Center Square

Hundreds of students from high schools in St. Paul, Minnesota, walked out of class this week to protest the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Twin Cities, leading the district to mark participating students absent or tardy.

On Wednesday afternoon, students from multiple schools in the Saint Paul Public Schools district marched to the steps of the Minnesota Capitol, carrying signs and chanting slogans expressing opposition to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shootings.

The Saint Paul district includes 69 schools and seven comprehensive high schools, and serves more than 30,000 students. While many students participated in the walkout, others remained in class and continued their school day as usual.

The Center Square spoke with Ryan Stanzel, senior associate of communications at the district, who said a letter was sent to parents explaining that students who miss all or part of a class to participate in the protest would be marked absent or tardy.

“This was not a SPPS-sponsored or -sanctioned walkout,” Stanzel told The Center Square. “SPPS does not discipline students for peaceful protests … If a student chooses to participate in a walkout and leave campus, SPPS staff will not accompany them or provide supervision.”

The district supports the role of protesting to create change, Stanzel said, adding it respects the rights of those who do or do not wish to participate.

Dr. Stacie Stanley, the superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, announced in a video posted Wednesday on the district’s website that the school would be implementing a new temporary virtual learning option.

Due to the safety concerns related to the presence of federal agents, Stanley explained that there will be no school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Tuesday and Wednesday. Starting Jan. 22, students will have the option of temporary virtual learning.

“Our goal is to ensure that all students can stay connected to the school, whether that is in-person or virtually,” Stanley said.

Registration opens Jan. 15 for parents and students to sign up for virtual classes.

The Center Square previously reported that other Minneapolis Public Schools can choose remote learning for at least a month in the wake of the shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer on Wednesday.

The Center Square reached out to the SPPS parents’ advisory council for a comment, but did not receive a response.