North High principal Mauri Friestleben returning to finish year
Mauri Friestleben, the North Community High School principal who revealed on Friday she had been placed on leave, will be allowed to finish the academic year in her role.
Minneapolis Public Schools issued a statement Sunday afternoon confirming that Friestleben will return to see out the rest of the school year "in an effort to bring this school year to a successful close for North students."
The popular principal said in a statement Friday that she had been fired from her role because of her support and encouragement of students to organize protests following the fatal police shooting of Amir Locke in Minneapolis in February.
MPS denied that she had been fired but said she had been placed on leave before changing course Sunday, which follows criticism over the way Friestleben was being treated.
"We apologize for the difficulty this situation has caused the North community—and especially our Polar students," an MPS statement read. "Principal Friestleben will be welcoming students again at North on Monday."
Friestleben provided an update to her situation as well on Sunday, saying that she had "known for a week that termination was pending due to the protocol violation."
She learned she would be allowed to finish out the year via a call that came after church Sunday, adding: "I am especially grateful to be back with my kids during these vulnerable times as relationship is what's getting us through.
"I am sad I missed prom [on Friday] as I was told to not attend; but I saw all the photos and beamed with pride as the Polars, as usual, killed the game."
