SPPS students protest increased police at schools following Harding HS stabbing

Security increasing at select St. Paul schools following stabbing

Additional police will have a presence at select SPPS schools following a fatal stabbing at Harding High School last week.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Following the fatal stabbing of 15-year-old Devin Scott in the hallway of Harding High School during a fight, students plan to gather at 5 p.m. Tuesday to protest increased police in select St. Paul Public Schools buildings.

"Rather than a thoughtful response rooted in community care, Superintendent Gothard is defaulting to a failed approach that harms and traumatizes so many students of color… We need to tell the school board and administrators that law enforcement does not belong in our schools," MN Teen Activists announced in an Instagram post.

The post says a rally will be held outside a Board of Education meeting at 360 Colborne Street in St. Paul at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Following the fatal altercation, the district previously announced a third full-time School Support Liaison would be added to the existing security team at Harding High School, as well as, two additional officers each at Central, Como Park, Harding, Humboldt and Washington high schools, in partnership with the St. Paul Police Department, and at the request of superintendent Joe Gothard.

The officers, "will work closely with each school’s administration and security teams and remain on-site outside the school as an immediate resource," according to the announcement, with "each officer…carefully selected for their previous work with youth and knowledge of the issues impacting our community."

Students returned to school last Friday at Harding, with an early dismissal at 1:30 p.m. Schools were closed Monday for President’s Day.