“Our schools are under attack,” a supporter of Minnesota Catholic Schools wrote in an open letter in April 2023.
Minneapolis Catholic School Shooter’s video diary has been released
The mass shooting shooter at a Catholic school in Minneapolis left a weapon, an apology and a disturbing note on the scheduled video.
A few years before the shooting in Minneapolis on August 27, the city’s religious and education leaders requested additional state funds to keep campuses safe.
They never got it. Complex reasons: One is that the state legislature never passed a bill that should have been funded (the public schools also didn’t get the money). Lawmakers reintroduced the law this year, but it is still pending.
This situation highlights another dynamic in American schools. The idea of investing public funds in private schools, particularly religious schools, is often controversial. In the meantime, no school is public or private, or appears to have no complete risk of shooting. That fact has encouraged leaders at some private schools to promote security resources on par with their counterparts in public schools.
“Funding and grant programs should be structured to ensure equitable access to all public and non-country schools, including faith-based schools,” said Stephen Cheeseman, president of the National Catholic Education Association.
Following the massive shooting at a religious school in Nashville on April 14, 2023, supporters of Minnesota Catholic schools said they could use more help to keep campuses safe.
“Our schools are under attack,” they wrote in a public letter. “In Minnesota, private schools, especially Jewish and Muslim schools, are experiencing an increasing level of threat, and everything must be taken very seriously.”
They urged Democratic Gov. Tim Waltz to help lobby the state legislature to include them in the newly proposed school safety program. In a statement to USA Today, Walz’s Office said private schools in Minnesota have already received state funding. He is also qualified for the school’s safety centre resource, including training.
“The governor was deeply concerned about student safety and has signed millions of laws to raise funds for school safety,” spokesman Claire Lancaster said. “We are committed to working with people who are willing to work with us to stop gun violence and keep students safe.”
