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September was a month that we will not forget.
In the span of just a few weeks, we witnessed two events that shook our nation: the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the arrest of Ian Roberts, former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. Both stories are significant on their own, but together they reveal a troubling pattern.
Let’s start with the assassination of Charlie Kirk — a young conservative leader assassinated on a college campus. While the country was still absorbing the shock, many Iowa educators took to social media — not to mourn, but to justify or even celebrate his death.
And when I say “many,” I don’t mean a handful. I’m talking about dozens of teachers, professors, and education professionals in Iowa. Public servants. People entrusted with shaping the minds and values of our children.
Some educators lost their jobs over their public comments. But just as many, if not more, were defended by their peers under the banner of “free speech.” As if freedom of speech also guarantees freedom from accountability.
Let’s be clear: these weren’t leaked private conversations. These were public declarations — posted online by individuals who are responsible for teaching our kids about civics, history and right versus wrong.
Just as the dust was settling from the Kirk tragedy, the spotlight turned to another controversy: the arrest of Ian Roberts, the now-former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. Roberts was taken into custody by ICE and is facing allegations of living in the country unlawfully. Even more disturbing? Reports indicate he was found with multiple firearms — a serious federal crime for someone in the U.S. illegally.
Despite these serious charges, the reaction from Iowa’s education establishment was swift — but not in the way you’d hope.
Joshua Brown, president of the Iowa teachers’ union, ignored repeated inquiries about the celebration of Charlie Kirk’s assassination by educators. He remained silent for nearly two weeks. But when Ian Roberts was arrested by ICE, Brown issued a public statement within hours, calling it a “dark and unsettling time” for the country.
Let that sink in.
No such condemnation for educators who celebrated a political assassination. But outrage when a superintendent with questionable immigration status and illegal possession of firearms is arrested by federal law enforcement.
This is the upside-down world we’re living in.
Public schools shape the next generation of voters, leaders and citizens. That’s why it should deeply concern every parent that so many teachers not only failed to condemn a political assassination — they applauded it. And when ICE did its job by enforcing the law, many of the same people rushed to condemn federal law enforcement, not the person accused of breaking the law.
Earlier this week, students in Des Moines walked out of class to protest Roberts’ arrest — even before the full facts were available. Where do students learn that kind of behavior? They learn it from the adults in the system. From educators who care more about political narratives than justice.
Not every teacher in Iowa supported these responses. But far too many did. And far too many remained silent.
It wasn’t just teachers. A nurse at UnityPoint in Cedar Rapids made disturbing comments about Charlie Kirk’s death. A county attorney in Story County called Roberts’ arrest “beyond unacceptable.” The reaction wasn’t isolated to schools — it spread across sectors, revealing just how deep this ideological mindset runs.
What we saw in September was not an aberration. It was a symptom of a much bigger problem. Our schools are no longer neutral grounds for learning. They’ve become breeding grounds for radical ideology — anti-American, anti-law enforcement, anti-truth.
Educators today were trained by professors who were trained by Marxists. That’s not hyperbole — it’s reality. The values being instilled in classrooms across Iowa are not the values most families believe in.
If you want your child to be educated, not indoctrinated, it’s time to rethink the system.
Jackie Norris, chair of the DMPS school board, issued two statements after Roberts’ arrest. Her concern? Not about the superintendent’s alleged crimes — but about “hateful rhetoric” being directed at the district.
“Our kids are watching — they are online 24/7… what they see right now is likely very difficult for them to process.”
She’s right. Kids are watching. And they’re learning. They’re watching a system that stood silent while educators celebrated an assassination. They’re learning from teachers who demonize ICE while defending someone who may have violated federal law and lied his way into a powerful public position.
This isn’t about hateful rhetoric. This is about truth, accountability and the rule of law.
We’ve seen enough. The question now is: What will we do about it?
This isn’t just a question for lawmakers who fund the system. It’s a question for parents, taxpayers and citizens. If you’re sending your child into a school system that has openly embraced radical ideology and abandoned common sense, what are you going to do?
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Are you going to speak up at school board meetings?
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Are you going to support legislation that gives parents more control?
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Are you going to pull your child out of a system that is clearly broken?
The time for polite silence is over.
Our desire to be comfortable is costing our kids far too much. September was a wake-up call. Let’s not hit snooze.
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