Education amid federal surge

Teaching and learning in our schools have experienced disruption before. Six years ago, the pandemic forced a closure of schools and a shift to distance learning which was less than ideal.

Now in January of 2026, the delivery of education has once again gone virtual for students and families who are afraid to go out into the community, fearing contact with some of the 3,000 federal agents sent to Minneapolis and St. Paul as part of the federal government’s Operation Metro Surge.

Community fears and frustration rose in response to an increase in racial profiling, unconstitutional searches and unlawful detainments. The killing of Renee Good on Jan. 7 intensified uncertainty, sadness and anger. Attendance at schools across the metro area decreased. Several English Learning (EL) classes reported less than half of their students present. St. Paul Public Schools administration rolled out a virtual learning option effective Jan. 22.

As a social studies teacher at Como Park High School, my classroom instruction and the needs of my students have changed during this challenging time and landscape.

I have been teaching college-level government classes to seniors at Como for the past 26 years. I have always taught from a nonpartisan perspective. We cover the constitution, civil liberties and civil rights, federalism, political participation, the branches of government and separation of powers.

That content requires critical thinking and analysis of how the government operates. Political actions are examined and interpreted within the framework of the foundational elements essential to our democracy. This year, we are discussing current events daily for extended periods of time as we see our lives played out on the national news.

Students ask appropriate questions. They see injustice. They observe an overreach of federal power. They notice a lack of checks and balances. They wonder if it’s their time and place to exercise their First Amendment right to protest.

There is a sector of society that is quick to criticize public education and call teachers out for being partisan and “indoctrinating” students with a liberal agenda. I take pride in listening to my students. I want them to learn to listen to each other. I want them to form their own opinions regarding the roles and responsibilities of government.

It is not my place to tell them what to believe. But it is my place to help them practice how to think critically and examine issues objectively.

It is my job to be a good human and treat all my students with the respect and dignity each of us deserves. It is my goal to model decency and kindness.

And it is undoubtedly my responsibility as a social studies teacher to provide my students with an understanding of the structure and foundation of our republic – a representative democracy. What Benjamin Franklin famously said the framers of the constitution created – “a republic, if you can keep it.”

‘HISTORY WILL JUDGE US’
My students are concerned that we may not be keeping it. Because they would like to continue having their views and values represented in the government, they organized and mobilized to assemble with students from across St. Paul at the Minnesota State Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

An estimated group of a thousand students from all the public high schools, plus peers from private and charter schools, walked out of their classes at noon. Their convergence on the capitol steps for a rally on a typically frigid January day was a peaceful event highlighted by student speakers and a show of solidarity.
Our students sensed they were not alone. They felt the support of community members and parents who served as unofficial marshals, standing along the routes they marched to keep watch.

Homemade signs the students carried were creative and empathetic, displaying knowledge, concern, frustration, and dissatisfaction with ICE tactics. And a consistent theme came shining through the entire event - students want “ICE OUT” of Minnesota.

My afternoon classes were quite small that day. Only three students were present in our afternoon college-level government course. The other 20 were at the rally. My small group watched democracy in action on a livestream carried by the local Fox 9 channel on YouTube.

We saw two classmates deliver articulate, inspiring speeches to an attentive and cheering crowd.
Rihanna Said, a U.S. citizen and daughter of lawful permanent residents from Somalia, stated that “immigrants have always been the backbone of this country, and I know this to be true because my parents are immigrants and the hardest working people I know.

“We must stand together and continue to call out the injustices you see. Speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves.”

Sofia Gonzalez, the daughter of two U.S. citizens – an immigrant father from Mexico and an American-born mother, specifically addressed the impact of ICE actions.

“ICE was created as a system to enforce laws, but the only thing it’s enforcing is fear and trauma. Fear in our communities, workplaces, and schools. In our classes we learn about freedom and equality and justice, but outside those classes… students are missing school, parents aren’t working, teachers are figuring out how to go on with lessons like normal, but none of this is normal.

“History will judge us for our silence or our courage. So today we’re choosing courage. We’re choosing the courage to walk out and speak out. The courage to say we want ICE to stop terrorizing our neighborhoods, separating families, and the courage to demand an end to this system built on intimidation.”

ARC BENDS TOWARDS JUSTICE
When my classes reconvened the next day, the empowerment my students felt from their participation at the rally was drained by the unrest in north Minneapolis that followed a violent confrontation between a Venezuelan man and ICE agents.

We discussed how turbulent times don’t produce consistent upward trajectory. There are moments of hope followed by setbacks, and the gains are not linear. We saw the correlations as our lesson segued into the Civil Rights Movement and the leadership of Martin Luther King Jr.

Five days after MLK Day, on Jan. 24, Alex Pretti was shot and killed on Nicollet Ave. in south Minneapolis. When school resumed after that tragedy, nearly 30% of Como’s student body was officially enrolled in virtual learning.

Teachers are pushing out lessons, videos, documents and assignments to students in their homes through digital learning platforms. Those students may check in or visit with their teachers during “office hours” through a Google Meet link.

Meanwhile, in person learning continues for the majority of students. It’s not normal. It’s not equal. Students who miss live instruction and interaction with peers and teachers cannot obtain the same quality of education. We’ve seen the learning loss before during the pandemic.

It’s a cruel reality for some students to be here again. Our schools and our communities are hurting with the absence of students and neighbors we love. And yet, we see the best of humanity rising to try and meet the moment with mutual aid, donations, food delivery, neighborhood watches, and exercising those First Amendment rights to speak for those without a voice at this time.

We don’t know how long federal agents will occupy our cities. We don’t know what events may unfold in early February before this article is published. As for education, we’ll keep working to try and serve all our students regardless of where they are. We look forward to a time when we are all back together.

As I’ve reminded my students more than once, a quote Dr. King frequently used still offers hope and guidance. “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Eric Erickson is a social studies teacher at Como Park High School and a regular columnist for the Monitor.