Sejong Academy shifts to online classes amid community fears as Urban Village urges undocumented residents to stay home
Sejong Academy, a publicly funded Korean-immersion charter in St. Paul, moved to remote learning Jan. 14–15 for unspecified safety reasons while Urban Village advised undocumented residents to stay home amid reported ICE enforcement, prompting questions about coordination and community disruption.
Key takeaways
- Remote learning: Sejong Academy shifted to online classes on Jan. 14 and Jan. 15 citing the “safety and well-being” of its community; the school’s public notice did not specify the threat. Sources: Fox News Digital, WCCS Radio
- Community advisory: Urban Village advised noncitizens and people without green cards to stay home, avoid driving and limit contact amid reported immigration enforcement activity, producing fear and disruption in local immigrant communities.
- Unclear coordination: It is not confirmed whether the school’s shift was coordinated with Urban Village or directly in response to ICE activity; public statements did not tie the closure to immigration enforcement.
- Public funding scrutiny: Public filings cited in reporting show Sejong Academy received more than $7 million in government grants, drawing attention to transparency and accountability for taxpayer-funded schools. WCCS Radio
School announcement and immediate actions
Brief public notice. Sejong Academy posted a short statement saying the school would “proceed with online learning for the remainder of this week (January 14 and 15). Thank you for your continued support and cooperation as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our school community.” The notice provided no additional detail about the specific safety concern or any reference to immigration enforcement. Parents and staff sought more clarity.
“We will proceed with online learning for the remainder of this week (January 14 and 15). Thank you for your continued support and cooperation as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our school community.”
Follow-up actions. School leaders scheduled a staff professional development day after the two remote-learning days, but district or charter officials did not publicly confirm whether the transition was precautionary, reactive, or prompted by external guidance. Reporters noted public filings and referenced IRS records showing Sejong Academy reported receiving more than $7 million in government grants, underscoring its status as a taxpayer-funded charter. WCCS Radio
Community response and Urban Village guidance
Advisory issued. Urban Village published a video and social posts urging noncitizens and people without green cards to remain home, avoid driving and limit contact during what it described as heightened enforcement activity by immigration authorities. The group framed the guidance as protective, issued out of concern for families facing enforcement risks.
Immediate effects: Urban Village said the advisory caused missed work, skipped medical appointments, and children missing school and after-school activities, with particular disruption reported in the local Myanmar community. The posts did not identify confirmed ICE operations or cite evidence of arrests in the neighborhood at the time of the advisory. Fox News Digital
Questions about coordination and verification
Unclear links. News reports and the school’s brief statement left open whether Sejong Academy’s move was independent or in reaction to Urban Village’s guidance. The school announcement made no mention of immigration enforcement, and the school did not confirm contact with local law enforcement or federal immigration authorities in public posts.
Verification gap. Urban Village described “heightened enforcement activity,” but independent confirmation of active Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the area at the time was not provided in the cited posts. Local officials and law enforcement did not publicly tie the school closure to a confirmed ICE action in the neighborhood in the available reporting.
Funding and public accountability
Public funding context. Sejong Academy is a public charter school offering Korean immersion education. Reporting cited IRS filings and other public records showing the school reported receiving more than $7 million in government grants, a fact that has heightened scrutiny because the closure affected students supported by taxpayer dollars. Taxpayer-funded institutions are often expected to provide clear explanations when citing safety as a reason for closures. WCCS Radio
Implications for California
School safety and transparency: California voters and education overseers may view the episode as a prompt to demand clearer communication and contingency planning from publicly funded schools when closures occur.
Impact on immigrant communities: Similar advisories in California could disrupt work, healthcare and schooling for vulnerable families, especially in communities with many undocumented residents, including those from Myanmar and Southeast Asia.
Policy debates: The incident underscores continuing debate over federal immigration enforcement and local responses — balancing community protection with minimizing unnecessary disruption.
Fiscal accountability: The report of more than $7 million in government grants to Sejong Academy may prompt calls in California for stronger oversight to ensure continuity of instruction and transparent explanations when taxpayer-funded schools abruptly change operations.
Practical planning: School districts and community groups might bolster contingency plans, communication protocols and partnerships to verify reports before issuing broad advisories that can cause community-wide disruption.
Reporting sources
This article draws on reporting compiled in coverage of the Sejong Academy online shift and Urban Village guidance. Full source links: Fox News Digital and WCCS Radio.
