Des Moines rallies
Teachers, students, and hundreds of members of the Des Moines and central Iowa communities concerned over Friday's detainment of Des Moines Public School superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts gathered at the Neal Smith Federal Building in downtown Des Moines Friday afternoon to voice their dissent.
Hundreds showed up to chant and hold signs and show support of Roberts, who was detained early Friday morning by members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Since then, a whirlwind of confusion over details has spread across social media, from unfounded rumors and half-truths of weapons to the digging up of Roberts' past, specifically a prior weapons charge he received while on a hunting trip. The rhetoric online quickly turned vitriolic, many from the MAGA camp cheering on the detention of a very popular figure in the community and supporters of Dr. Roberts coming to his defense. Roberts, a former Olympic track and field star, received Masters degrees at both St. John's University and Georgetown's McDonough School of Business. He earned a PhD in Education from Trident University, where he focused on urban educational leadership. His professional career began in Washington, D.C. as a principal. Prior to serving the Des Moines Public School as superintendent, Dr. Roberts was superintendent of the Millcreek Township School in Pennsylvania.
According to a statement from ICE, officials were acting on a final act of removal order issued in 2024. According to the Des Moines Public School, who conducts thorough and exhaustive background checks of all its staff, they were not aware of the order. Roberts, who was born in Guyana, was authorized to work in the United States.
Many details are still being sorted out, but the community of Des Moines largely stands behind Dr. Roberts.
