Minnesota charter school Sejong Academy moves online citing safety concerns
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A taxpayer-funded Minnesota charter school moved its classes online this week, citing security concerns, while a community organization advised illegal immigrants to stay home amid reported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and warned of widespread fear and disruption in the local Myanmar community.
St. Sejong Academy, a public charter school in St. Paul, announced it would shift to online learning for the remainder of the week after expressing concern for the “safety and well-being” of the school community, according to a notice posted on its website.
“Sejong Academy will continue online learning for the remainder of this week (January 14 and 15),” the school’s website read. “We thank you for your continued support and cooperation as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our school community.”
The school said students will attend classes remotely on Wednesday and Thursday, before a previously scheduled Friday off for staff professional development. The announcement did not specify the nature of the security concerns that led to the decision.
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The change came after Urban Village, a Minnesota-based community organization, posted a video and statements on Instagram addressing immigration enforcement activities and urging illegal immigrants to stay home.
In the video, a representative of Urban Village said the organization was relaying urgent information “related to ICE,” while another speaker advised people without green cards or citizenship documents to stay home and not open their doors to people they don’t know.
The video also referenced schools offering online learning options to families worried about sending their children to school.
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Urban Village said in a separate Instagram post that members of the Myanmar diaspora in Minnesota were detained by ICE and the U.S. Border Patrol and transported to out-of-state detention centers.
The organization alleged, based on information from a public official, that some detainees were pressured to sign documents waiving their legal rights and alleged enforcement actions that may have violated policies or laws.
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Urban Village said it advises non-citizens and non-green card holders to stay home, avoid driving and limit contact amid increased enforcement, adding that the guidance causes parents to miss work, medical appointments to be skipped and children to miss school and activities.
Sejong Academy did not reference immigration enforcement or ICE in its online learning announcement, and it is unclear whether the school is coordinating with Urban Village or adjusting operations in response to the organization’s guidance.
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Sejong Academy reported receiving more than $7 million in government grants, underscoring its status as a publicly funded charter school, according to IRS filings reviewed by ProPublica and verified by Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Sejong Academy and Urban Village for comment.
