I had another post drafted, but it seemed a bit frivolous given current events in the Des Moines, Iowa metro. As a proud graduate of Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS), and the child of a DMPS teacher, I am shocked and heartbroken over the arrest of Superintendent Ian Roberts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and new reports that the district is under investigation by the Department of Justice. I don’t claim to have all of the facts, but I will share some additional context around the allegations against Dr. Roberts to help combat some of the misinformation that is flying around out there.
Reports point to the fact that ICE found Roberts with a gun, a hunting knife, and $3000 cash in his DMPS vehicle. I agree: not a good look. First, the gun: it is important to look at this in the context of Iowa’s absurdly loose gun laws. Iowa is a permitless carry state, meaning that you don’t need a permit to carry a firearm. Additionally, in 2024, the Iowa State Legislature passed a law permitting teachers and administrators to be armed on school property because “good guys with guns.” There’s also quite a bit of buzz about an old gun charge, which was actually just a citation related to a hunting rifle, which is a great segue to the hunting knife. It’s hunting season in Iowa, a past time that many Iowans enjoy. Having a hunting knife is not illegal. Finally, the cash: Yes, $3000 is a lot to have on one’s person, but it is not illegal to carry $3000 in cash.
I’ve been inspired and demoralized by the public’s response. I’ve seen racist vitriol and double standards are flooding comment sections all over the internet. I’ve seen my community organize a spontaneous rally in support of Dr. Roberts. I’ve seen DMPS students exercising their Tinker vs DMPS rights to walk-out in protest.
As our community navigates this crisis, I am drawing strength from this quote by Sarah Kendzior, an expert on authoritarian regimes: “If you can’t be brave, be kind.”
