At St. Paul Academy and Summit School, where tuition tops $40,000 a year, some parents are raising concerns about the direction of the school.
The most recent controversy stems from an email sent to families ahead of the school’s winter dance that included instructions for staff on how to respond if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived at the event.
It outlined security arrangements for the winter dance and included explicit guidance related to ICE.
“If ICE is present, adults will help ensure that everyone is in the building safely and doors are locked,” the email stated.
The email included an “ICE protocol” created by the venue, which said: “We do not consent to staging on our property. We do NOT allow ICE agents to enter the building.”
The document instructed chaperones and staff not to interact with agents beyond stating, “You are not allowed to enter,” and said ICE would not be allowed inside unless agents present “a judicial warrant that must be signed by a judge” rather than “an administrative warrant.”
The protocol further directed them to document how many ICE agents were present, how they were dressed and armed, whether anyone felt they could not leave, and whether agents “mistreat[ed] anyone.”
It also advised that if any individual is detained by ICE, chaperones and staff should ask where the person is being taken so the information “will help worker’s family and lawyer find the person.”
The email was shared with Alpha News and later posted on X by reporter Liz Collin. It has drawn more than 140,000 views and widespread criticism.
UPDATE: In a new email to parents after “conservative news sources” (aka me) posted the ICE protocol for the winter dance, St. Paul Academy is “evaluating” its options for the event 👇 pic.twitter.com/p15bljmnH8
— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) February 20, 2026
Social media reaction questions ICE protocol and school priorities
The email drew sharp criticism on social media, with some users questioning how the protocol would work in practice.
“So do not interact with ICE in any way but if they arrest someone parents are supposed to intervene and find out where they are taking the prisoner? Is this the best policy?” replied one X user.
Others criticized the policy as unnecessary given the school’s tuition level.
“How many illegal immigrants are enrolled in a $40,000/year school? I’m guessing 0. Talk about virtue signaling,” another user wrote.
Another commenter referenced the school’s history, contrasting its past with its current direction.
“I am a parent of 2 graduates of this Marxist Training Academy. Wasn’t always like this,” the user wrote.
School responds
After the post circulated online, school administrators sent a follow-up message to families. In it, the school acknowledged that the email had become public and blamed a parent for sharing it with the media.
“Out of an abundance of caution and at the request of families, we recently communicated ICE protocols for the Winter Dance,” the letter to parents stated. “We are writing to let you know that a parent leaked this email to alternative conservative news sources. The email is now being circulated on Instagram and X.”
The school went on to claim the disclosure created safety concerns, writing: “This compromises the safety of our students at the dance, and we are evaluating our options for this event — one that many students are looking forward to attending.”
Administrators added that they were “extremely disappointed that our safety protocols and event details were disclosed in this manner” and said families would be updated once decisions were made.
A number of parents have reached out to Alpha News over the last several days, including some who raised concerns about classroom lessons. One parent shared an exchange with staff regarding a fourth-grade wellness lesson on puberty that referred to “wet dreams” as occurring in “bodies with a penis” and menstruation as occurring in “bodies with a uterus” — as opposed to male and female.
Letter of no confidence targets school leadership
Alpha News obtained a copy of a letter of no confidence that is reportedly circulating among families, which outlines parents’ concerns spanning four years and alleges widespread leadership failures under the current administration. Parents apparently plan to present the letter to the Board of Trustees if enough families sign.
The letter describes a “staggering loss of institutional knowledge” resulting from staff turnover that the document attributes to leadership decisions.
It also alleges that previously pledged donations were rescinded, including a donor who withdrew funding to close a “$1 million gap for the teacher endowment fund” in September 2025 due to “loss of confidence in [the Head of School] and the direction St. Paul Academy and Summit School was headed.”
The letter accuses school leadership of a “pattern of unilateral decision-making, insufficient transparency, and disregard for established norms of collaboration and communication” that it says has “undermined the trust essential to the school’s success.”
The letter concludes by stating, “we have no confidence in the Head of School,” and urges the Board of Trustees to intervene to protect the institution’s mission and long-term viability.
Alpha News reached out to St. Paul Academy and Summit School leadership for comment on the letter of no confidence and ICE email but did not receive a response. Power Line contributor Scott Johnson, a St. Paul Academy alumnus, said he was told the school had no comment when he asked about its email on ICE.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
