St. Paul district praises board member facing felony charges in church invasion for her ‘leadership’

In a twist during Women’s History Month, St. Paul Board of Education Director Chauntyll Allen — the same woman arrested for storming a church service and terrifying families — has been named one of the area’s “Black Women of Impact.”

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) recently announced the recognition for Allen alongside the SPPS superintendent and several others with district ties.

“Congratulations to our Superintendent, Dr. Stacie Stanley, and Board of Education Director Chauntyll Allen for being named Black Women of Impact this Women’s History Month,” the district said in a statement on its Facebook page. “Together, the honorees reflect the strength, leadership and dedication of Black women whose work continues to uplift communities across Minnesota.”

Incident and legal case

The recognition comes two months after the Jan. 18 incident at Cities Church in which an anti-ICE mob stormed a Sunday service.

The mob — which included Allen — screamed at women and children, harassed churchgoers, shouted anti-ICE chants, and created such turmoil in the sanctuary that the worship service had to be abandoned.

Court documents also accuse the mob of blocking the stairway to the church’s childcare area. The agitators allegedly invaded the church because they believed one of the pastors is an ICE agent.

Allen is now facing federal charges, including a felony that carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

She previously defended her actions, saying she believed “that’s what needed to be done to get the message across.”

The U.S. Justice Department has also arrested and charged several others in connection to that invasion, including former CNN journalist Don Lemon and Minneapolis activist Nekima Levy Armstrong.

Last week, Democrats in the Minnesota House of Representatives blocked legislation that would make it a crime to disrupt a church service with the intent to interfere with the free exercise of religion.

Alpha News previously reported that following the church invasion, the organization Democracy Restored called on the school board to remove Allen from her elected position, arguing that the allegations raise concerns about her role overseeing public education.

SPPS has acknowledged the situation, stating it is “following all applicable policies and procedures” but said it cannot comment further due to the pending legal case.

District says recognition is standard practice

In response to questions from Alpha News, SPPS said the recognition was not initiated by the district itself. Other honorees included Georgia Fort and Armstrong, who are both facing charges in connection to the church storming.

“As standard practice, Saint Paul Public Schools recognizes staff, students and alumni who receive awards from external organizations,” said Erica Wacker, the district’s director of communications.

The district did not address whether Allen’s recent arrest or pending felony charges were considered in its decision to publicly highlight the recognition.

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.