Staff Reports
In a puzzling display of misplaced priorities, students at North High School in Des Moines, Iowa, recently staged a walkout in support of their former superintendent, Dr. Ian Roberts. This dramatic gesture unfolded shortly after Dr. Roberts resigned under the cloud of serious allegations. These serious concerns were not just administrative slip-ups but included being in the United States illegally, and even more alarmingly, gun charges both past and present. It raises eyebrows—and not just due to the firearm filings. These young protesters even dragged middle schoolers into the spectacle. One might wonder, were these students expressing their civic freedom, or were they simply enjoying an unscheduled break from class?
Senator Joni Ernst, known for her no-nonsense approach, didn’t mince words when discussing this situation. The senator pointed out the glaring contradiction of having an illegal immigrant hold a prominent educational leadership position. Adding to the absurdity is the alleged $3,000 found in a school vehicle and the hunting knife, which seems more suited to a spy novel than a school environment. Yet, somehow, this man became a figure of support among the left, lauded despite a laundry list of legal offenses. The situation aptly characterizes the chaotic hypocrisy the senator identifies in how the left handles immigration and law enforcement.
The legal issues surrounding Dr. Roberts are apparent. Not only was he reportedly in possession of a loaded weapon when detained last week, but it’s also a federal crime for an illegal immigrant to have such an armament. It’s not like there aren’t laws against this kind of thing. Yet despite his brush with legality, Dr. Roberts managed to secure top-notch employment credentials with the school board chair, Jackie Norris, claiming his documentation seemed valid. The faith in their token verification process of a driver’s license and Social Security card is as charming and aloof as it is astonishing in its lack of due diligence.
Failing to verify the background of someone wielding both authority over children and a firearm seems like a colossal oversight. The senator remarked on Dr. Roberts being registered to vote in Maryland while purportedly in the country illegally. It seems the phrase “trust but verify” could be the wake-up call the school board appears to desperately need. The board’s failure to authenticate Dr. Roberts’ status, especially after previous known offenses, falls squarely on its leadership. The chair’s strategy appears to embrace a leisurely pace of astonishment over proactive supervision.
Ultimately, the fallout from this debacle could spill into the political arena. While Jackie Norris, the school board chair, curiously insisted that she hasn’t been distracted by politics or fundraising, the timing suggests otherwise. With an election cycle around the corner, a Superintendency scandal could haunt anyone’s campaign like a proverbial skeleton in the closet. Purported nonchalance about the gravity of hiring an illegal immigrant, whose other wardrobe fails to fit snugly, might not convince discerning Iowans. Voters trust their public officials to keep schools secure and abide by the law, and seeing an illegal immigrant with gun charges in such a role undermines the public’s trust profoundly.
