Additional schools throughout Minnesota canceled classes Friday in light of ongoing unrest after the fatal shooting of a woman by a federal agent on Wednesday.
Fridley Public Schools announced the district will not host in-person classes on Friday, joining Minneapolis Public Schools after officials canceled classes on Thursday through the remainder of the week, Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent after allegedly moving her vehicle toward the officer, in what has been described by DHS as an act of "self-defense."
Later that day, ICE agents deployed a chemical irritant outside of Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis and took at least one staff member into custody.
"A mother was murdered, an elementary school was forced to lock down," Taylor said. "Grown men use pepper spray on terrified high school students, on school property – and that was just on Wednesday. This is the opposite of protecting our kids. This is the opposite of keeping the peace."
"What we’re seeing is that our students are still in recovery mode from the onset of the pandemic," Julio Caesar, executive director of research, evaluation and assessment at Bloomington Public Schools, told MPR News at the time.
However, Minnesota eighth graders ranked fourth in the nation in math scores in 2024, with fourth graders ranking in the top 10 among states.
Gov. Tim Walz also called for a "Day of Unity" on Friday in light of Good’s death and the ongoing tensions within the city, asking for a moment of silence at 10 a.m.
"As long as ICE is in Minnesota, we won't be safe," Taylor said. "On this day of mourning, our hearts go out to Renee Good and her family. To make sure no one else has to suffer this devastating loss, ICE needs to stay away from all of our schools, starting today."
Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report.