After the tragic events that took place on January 7th many changes have been made about the safety in and around our school. This day led to a spiral of decisions that were made to make sure students and staff are safe.
Immediately following the events that took place, MPR reported that “late Wednesday, district officials told staff and families in an email that all district-sponsored programs, activities, athletics, and Community Education classes would be canceled.” Shortly after this announcement, it was confirmed that school would also be canceled on Thursday and Friday.
When students returned the following Monday, they were given the option to join classes through Google Meet and complete their work from home, an option that will remain available through February 12. This decision was made because many students no longer feel safe attending school in person.
In response, community members have stepped in to help. Recently, parents, neighbors, and school staff have been seen standing on corners near Roosevelt and at nearby bus stops wearing bright vests. As reported by the Minnesota Star Tribune on January 9, “Parents, neighbors and school staffers are ramping up mobilization efforts to stand guard outside schools as fears of federal immigration agents descend on the Twin Cities.”
Before January 7, students were able to attend school without fear for their own safety or the safety of others. Teachers did not need to host Google Meets for students staying home, nor did they have to remain on high alert by monitoring activity outside the school. Since then, significant changes have been made to ensure student safety and address growing concerns within the school community.
