JANUARY 2026 - On January 7, the reality of federal immigration enforcement collided violently with the sanctity of a school zone.
At Roosevelt High School, ICE agents pursued a suspect onto school grounds during dismissal, deploying chemical irritants that affected a crowd of students and staff. That same day, in a separate but connected enforcement wave, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother, poet, and U.S. citizen, in her vehicle after she dropped her child off at school.
In the wake of this trauma, one voice has emerged to bridge the gap between labor leadership and community defense: Marcia Howard.
Howard is the President of the Minneapolis Federation of Educators (MFE Local 59) and a veteran English teacher at Roosevelt High since 1998. But to the community, she is also the “Steward of the Square” - a title earned through years of holding space at the site of George Floyd’s murder. Now, she is drawing a straight line from the civil rights uprisings of 2020 to the protection of immigrant families in 2026.
The Union as a Shield
Following the January 7 incidents, Howard and MFE Local 59 immediately condemned the events as direct threats to students’ constitutional rights to a safe education.
Recognizing the fear rippling through immigrant communities, the union successfully pushed Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) to implement an opt-in virtual learning option running through February 12, 2026.
This policy allows families to keep children home without truancy penalties while teachers instruct both in-person and remote students simultaneously. It is a rapid adaptation of labor resources to meet a humanitarian need.
“This is an OPTION and exactly what so many families need right now. MFE members brought this to MPS and MPS listened.”
Marcia Howard via social media
From the Classroom to the Barricades
Howard’s leadership style is distinct, described by sources as empathetic yet disciplined - a reflection of her background as a former Marine who enlisted at age 17.
Her advocacy extends far beyond the classroom walls:
George Floyd Square: Living steps from 38th and Chicago, Howard took a leave of absence in 2020 to organize the memorial site. She facilitated daily community meetings and coordinated volunteer security, resisting the title of “leader” in favor of collective decision-making.
Intersectional Activism: She views her work as a trifecta of labor rights, civil rights, and community safety, refusing to separate the working conditions of teachers from the living conditions of their students.
The Strategy: Economic Disruption
Howard has connected the recent ICE enforcement actions to broader patterns of state violence. In response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good and the chemical irritants used at Roosevelt High, she has called for nonviolent, economic collective action.
MFE and allied organizations are supporting a “Day of Truth and Freedom” on January 23, 2026, demanding:
ICE leave Minnesota immediately.
Accountability for the death of Renee Nicole Good.
A halt to additional federal funding for ICE.
Local businesses sever ties with the agency.
A week of action (Jan 19-23) has targeted major corporations for boycotts and pressure campaigns, including Target, Home Depot, Enterprise, Hilton, and Delta.
Minneapolis has already seen the results of this mobilization, with student walkouts - including ~150 students at Roosevelt - and widespread coalition protests. Howard’s approach remains clear: protect vulnerable families, document state overreach, and build sustained resistance through the power of the union.
Here is the revised Substack draft.
To ensure the hyperlinks “adhere” properly when you paste this into Substack, I have formatted the Sources section with the raw URLs. Substack’s editor is designed to automatically convert raw UR nice “preview cards” or clickable links when you paste them on a new line.
I have also integrated the new biographical detai found (her transition from “schoolmarm to sentry” and her specific union history) to give the piece more depth.
The Steward of the Square: Marcia Howard and the Fight for Safe Schoo Minneapolis
Following a deadly week of ICE enforcement actions and the killing of Renee Nicole Good, the MFE President is mobilizing educators to protect their students through virtual learning and economic disruption.
JANUARY 2026 - On January 7, the reality of federal immigration enforcement collided violently with the sanctity of a school zone.
At Roosevelt High School, ICE agents pursued a suspect onto school grounds during dismissal, deploying chemical irritants that affected a crowd of students and staff. That same day, in a separate but connected enforcement wave, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother, poet, and U.S. citizen, in her vehicle after she dropped her child off at school.
In the wake of this trauma, one voice has emerged to bridge the gap between labor leadership and community defense: Marcia Howard.
Howard is the President of the Minneapolis Federation of Educators (MFE Local 59) and a veteran English teacher at Roosevelt High since 1998. But to the community, she is also the “Steward of the Square” - a title earned through years of holding space at the site of George Floyd’s murder. Now, she is drawing a straight line from the civil rights uprisings of 2020 to the protection of immigrant families in 2026.
From “Schoolmarm” to Sentry
Howard’s leadership style is distinct, described by sources as empathetic yet disciplined - a reflection of her background as a former Marine who enlisted at age 17.
In 2020, she famously transitioned from what she called a “schoolmarm” to a “sentry,” taking a leave of absence to organize the memorial site at 38th and Chicago. She facilitated daily community meetings and coordinated volunteer security, resisting the title of “leader” in favor of collective decision-making.
She has always viewed her work as a trifecta of labor rights, civil rights, and community safety. “I cannot separate my work as a teacher from my work as a Black woman in this community,” she has noted in the past. This philosophy has now ascended to the highest level of union leadership, where she recently succeeded Greta Callahan as MFE President.
The Union as a Shield
Following the January 7 incidents, Howard and MFE Local 59 immediately condemned the events as direct threats to students’ constitutional rights to a safe education.
Recognizing the fear rippling through immigrant communities, the union successfully pushed Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) to implement an opt-in virtual learning option running through February 12, 2026.
This policy allows families to keep children home without truancy penalties while teachers instruct both in-person and remote students simultaneously. It is a rapid adaptation of labor resources to meet a humanitarian need.
“This is an OPTION and exactly what so many families need right now. MFE members brought this to MPS and MPS listened.”
Marcia Howard via social media
The Strategy: Economic Disruption
Howard has connected the recent ICE enforcement actions to broader patterns of state violence. In response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good and the chemical irritants used at Roosevelt High, she has called for nonviolent, economic collective action.
MFE and allied organizations are supporting a “Day of Truth and Freedom” on January 23, 2026, demanding:
ICE leave Minnesota immediately.
Accountability for the death of Renee Nicole Good.
A halt to additional federal funding for ICE.
Local businesses sever ties with the agency.
A week of action (Jan 19-23) has targeted major corporations for boycotts and pressure campaigns, including Target, Home Depot, Enterprise, Hilton, and Delta.
Minneapolis has already seen the results of this mobilization, with student walkouts - including ~150 students at Roosevelt - and widespread coalition protests. Howard’s approach remains clear: protect vulnerable families, document state overreach, and build sustained resistance through the power of the union.
Sources & Further Reading
Labor Notes: Will ICE Ignite a Mass Strike in Minnesota? https://labornotes.org/2026/01/will-ice-ignite-mass-strike-minnesota
Sahan Journal: Minneapolis schoo to virtual option amid ICE fears https://sahanjournal.com/education/minneapolis-schoo-learning-ice-actions-schoo
Education Week: MPS closes in wake of deadly shooting https://www.edweek.org/leadership/minneapolis-schoo-in-wake-of-deadly-shooting-immigration-enforcement/2026/01
MPR News: From ‘schoolmarm’ to sentry (2020 Profile) https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/12/15/from-schoolmarm-to-sentry-mp-responds-to-george-floyd-killing
FOX 9: Coverage of e-learning and Roosevelt confrontation https://www.fox9.com/news/minneapolis-public-schoo-e-learning-through-feb-12-due-ice-shooting
