A school board member thinks St. Paul Public Schools should do something to honor the memory of Philando Castile, the school lunch supervisor whose death at the hands of a police officer has fueled protests across the country.
Steve Marchese said he’s heard calls from the community for the district to somehow recognize Castile.
“I hope that we can have a conversation about that sometime in the future,” he said at the end of Tuesday’s school board meeting.
Marchese had no suggestions for what form such recognition might take.
Meanwhile, the St. Paul Central High School Foundation is hosting a fundraiser Aug. 21 to establish a scholarship in Castile’s memory. Castile graduated from Central in 2001.
St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez fatally shot Castile on July 6 during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights.
Castile’s girlfriend said he told the officer he had a gun in the car but was shot while retrieving his driver’s license and vehicle registration. The officer said Castile was reaching for the gun.
During a Twin Cities trip last week, U.S. Education Secretary John King met with elected officials and people close to Castile at J.J. Hill Montessori, the St. Paul school where Castile worked in food service.