Southside Family Charter School, a small charter school in Minneapolis where Renee Nicole Good’s 6-year-old son is enrolled, moved classes online after receiving threats following Good’s fatal shooting by an ICE officer.
Sahan Journal stated that the threats began after the New York Post published stories that focused on the school’s focus on social justice. Right-wing social media accounts then identified the school and spread its name online. MPR News, citing Sahan Journal, noted that the school switched to online learning after these articles and posts drew negative attention to the campus.
“The attacks and threats to our school have been very hurtful, especially at this painful moment,” school leaders wrote in an email to Sahan Journal. “At the same time, we have received much support from our community. This moment has been painful, but it has also brought us closer as a community.”
The school is located on the grounds of St. Joan of Arc Church in south Minneapolis and serves a small number of students after a significant drop in enrollment this year, MPR News reported. Sahan Journal noted that enrollment fell from 119 students last year to 26 this year after the school changed from a K-8 program to a K-5 program.
Southside Family Charter School began in the 1970s and became a charter school in 2006, according to Sahan Journal. The school uses a model focused on small groups and shared routines, with older students mentoring younger ones. Staff and students also eat meals together. A school spokesperson mentioned that visiting artists and field trips are part of the curriculum.
Good, 37, served on the school board and helped raise her son in the community, according to Sahan Journal’s account of her connection to the school. The threats surfaced while Minneapolis was still dealing with the aftermath of her death and the federal enforcement activity that led to it.
Good died on January 7 after an ICE officer shot her during an encounter in Minneapolis. Reports vary on the details leading up to the shooting, with federal officials claiming the officer acted in self-defense. This incident has led to protests and increased scrutiny of immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
The online threats aimed at the school show how quickly a local institution can become a target after a national political story gains traction. Sahan Journal reported that right-wing accounts shared posts about the school’s emphasis on social justice, turning attention to the campus where Good dropped off her son shortly before the tragic incident.
School leaders did not elaborate on the details of the threats in their statements to Sahan Journal but indicated that the volume and tone of the threats led to the decision to move to remote instruction. MPR News described this shift as a safety measure for students and staff while the school evaluates its next steps.
In their message to Sahan Journal, school leaders mentioned that community members have also offered support. The decision to transition to online learning comes at a time when educators nationwide have faced threats linked to political issues. Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, several educators were fired from their jobs with many being rehired months later.
For Southside Family Charter School, this change means a small student body, already reduced this year, will now attend class from home while the fallout following Good’s death continues.
