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UPDATE. WE ARE BREAKING INTO PROGRAMING TO BRING YOU BREAKING NEWS. DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS HAS BEEN ARRESTED BY ICE. AND RIGHT NOW, DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE GIVING AN UPDATE. THEY’RE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE. LET’S LISTEN IN. BECAUSE OF THE LEGAL COMPLEXITIES OF THIS SITUATION. WE’RE UNFORTUNATELY NOT GOING TO BE TAKING ANY QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THE REMARKS. WE KNOW YOU LIKELY HAVE QUESTIONS. NO DOUBT. BUT WE ASK YOU TO BEAR WITH US AND WE WON’T BE ABLE TO ADDRESS FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. AND SO WITH THAT, I’LL TURN THIS OVER TO OUR SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, JACKIE NORRIS. GOOD AFTERNOON. ON BEHALF OF THE DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOL COMMUNITY, I WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND THE BOARD ON THE CURRENT SITUATION UNFOLDING WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS. BEFORE WE BEGIN, IT SEEMS FITTING TO TAKE A PAGE OUT OF DOCTOR ROBERTS BOOK AND ASK THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE IN RADICAL EMPATHY AS WE WORK THROUGH THE SITUATION TOGETHER. RADICAL EMPATHY IS THE RECOGNITION THAT WE CAN DISAGREE AND STILL EMPATHIZE WITH EACH OTHER. THE RESPECT OF OTHERS, HUMANITY. THIS CONCEPT WILL BE ESSENTIAL AS WE WAIT TO LEARN MORE. WE DO NOT HAVE ALL THE FACTS. THERE IS MUCH WE DO NOT KNOW. HOWEVER, WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT DOCTOR ROBERTS HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY SINCE HE JOINED OVER TWO YEARS AGO. DURING HIS TIME WITH OUR DISTRICT, HE HAS SHOWN UP IN WAYS BIG AND SMALL AND HAS ADVOCATED FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND BEGUN INTRODUCING CONCEPTS THAT WILL HELP US REIMAGINE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, REIMAGINE EDUCATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF DES MOINES STUDENTS. HERE IS WHAT WE ALSO KNOW. DOCTOR ROBERTS JOINED US IN JULY 2023 AND HAS HELD EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN DISTRICTS ACROSS THE US FOR 20 YEARS. THE IOWA BOARD OF EDUCATIONAL EXAMINERS ISSUED DOCTOR ROBERTS A LICENSE TO SERVE AS SUPERINTENDENT IN THE STATE OF IOWA IN JULY 2023. THERE IS NEW INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN MADE PUBLIC THAT WE DID NOT KNOW, AND WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO VERIFY AS TO WHETHER THAT INFORMATION IS ACCURATE. I’M TURNING IT OVER TO INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MATT SMITH. WE STAND FIRM WITH OUR COMMUNITY, MANY OF WHOM ARE FEELING SAD, OUTRAGED AND HELPLESS. WE UNDERSTAND AS WE TOO ARE DEVASTATED BY THE NEWS OF HIS DETAINMENT. HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT STOP OUR IMPORTANT WORK AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUTSTANDING EDUCATION TO THE STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. KNOW THAT WE HAVE PROTOCOLS AND PROCESSES IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. WE HAVE LEADERS WHO WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP IN A WAY THAT COMMUNICATES CARE. EMPATHY, SERVICE, AND ACTION. WE WILL LEAD WITH LOVE AND CARE FOR THE DIGNITY OF HUMAN BEINGS IN DES MOINES AND ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. THIS IS CHALLENGING ON MANY LEVELS. REALITY IS THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE ADDITIONAL ANSWERS RIGHT AWAY. HOWEVER, THE STRENGTH OF DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS IN ITS PEOPLE. OUR LEADERS, EDUCATORS AND STAFF WHO WILL CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THE MISSION ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AS WE WAIT FOR CLARITY AND WHAT COMES NEXT. IN THE WORDS OF DOCTOR ROBERTS, IF YOU PADDLE TOGETHER, YOU WILL SURVIVE THE TIDE. IF YOU PADDLE ALONE, YOU WILL LIKELY DROWN. AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND LEARN MORE, WE CHOOSE TO PADDLE TOGETHER. BRING TO THE TABLE MISS MARIA ALONSO. EL HOMBRE DE LA COMUNIDAD DE LAS ESCUELAS PUBLICAS DE DES MOINES. QUIERO PROPORCIONAR UN ACTUALIZACION DE LIDERAZGO DEL DISTRITO Y LA JUNTA SOBRE LA SITUACION ACTUAL. CASEY. DESARROLLA CON NUESTRO SUPERINTENDENT. EL DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS. ANTES DE COMENZAR PARECE APROPIADO TOMAR UNA PAGINA DE LIBRO DE DOCTOR ROBERTS A LA COMUNIDAD INVOLUCRAR IN UNA EMPATIA RADICAL, MIENTRAS TRABAJAMOS JUNTOS EN ESTA SITUACION, LA EMPATIA RADICAL ES EL RECONOCIMIENTO DEPEW PODEMOS ESTAR EN DESACUERDO Y AUN CON LOS DEMAS. EL RESPETO DE LA COMUNIDAD DE LOS DEMAS. ESTE CONCEPTO ESENCIAL MIENTRAS ESPERAMOS APRENDER MAS NO TENEMOS TODOS LOS HECHOS. I MUCHO SABEMOS. SIN EMBARGO, LO CASEY SABEMOS ES EL DOCTOR ROBERTS HA SIDO UNA PARTE INTEGRAL DE NUESTRA COMUNIDAD ESCOLAR DESDE HACE MAS DE DOS ANOS DURANTE SU TIEMPO CON NUESTRO DISTRITO. DE MANERAS GRANDES CARNARVON POR LOS MARGINADOS UN APOYADO A LOS ESTUDIANTES, EL PERSONAL COMENZADO A INTRODUCIR CONCEPTOS AYUDARON A REIMAGINED LA EDUCACION PARA LAS FUTURAS GENERACIONES DE ESTUDIANTES DE DES MOINES. ESTO ES TAMBIÉN SABEMOS EL DOCTOR ROBERTS SENOR A NOSOTROS EN 23 Y OCUPADO PUESTOS DE LIDERAZGO EDUCATIVO IN DISTRITO DE TODOS LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DURANTE LOS ULTIMOS 20 ANOS, LA JUNTA, THE EXAMINERS EDUCATIVOS DE IOWA AMISH DOCTOR ROBERTS LICENCIA PARA SERVIR COMO SUPERINTENDENT EN EL ESTADO DE IOWA IN JULIO DE 23 A NUEVA INFORMATION PUBLICA. SIMPLEMENTE NO SABIAMOS ENORMOUS PERDIDO VERIFICAR SI ESA INFORMACION ES PRECISE ESTAMOS EN NUESTRA COMUNIDAD, MUCHOS DE LOS CUALES SE SIENTEN EMOCIONALES TRISTES INDIGNADOS IMPORTANTES LO ENTENDEMOS NOSOTROS TAMBIÉN ES POR LA NOTICIA DE SU DETENTION. SIN EMBARGO, ESTO NO TIENE NUESTRO IMPORTANT TRABAJO CONTINUAREMOS BRINDANDO UNA EDUCACION SOBRESALIENTE A LOS ESTUDIANTES DE NUESTRA COMUNIDAD CHAPIN. ESTO CONTAMOS CON PROTOCOLOS PROCESOS PARA ESTE TIPO DE SITUACIONES. TENEMOS CONTINUARON APARECIENDO DE UNA MANERA CUIDADO EMPATIA SERVICIO ACTION CON AMOR Y CUIDADO POR LA DIGNIDAD DE LOS SERES HUMANOS AND DES MOINES IN TODO NUESTRO PAIS. EN MUCHOS NIVELES DE REALIDAD ES QUÉ ES POSIBLE NO TENGAMOS RESPUESTAS ADICIONALES DE INMEDIATO. SIN EMBARGO, LA FUERZA DE LAS ESCUELAS PUBLICAS DE DES MOINES ESTA EN SU GENTE EN SUS. EDUCADORES PERSONAL. EN LA MISION, EN NOMBRE DE NUESTROS ESTUDIANTES FAMILIAS, MIENTRAS ESPERAMOS CLARIDAD Y DESPUÉS EN PALABRAS DEL DOCTOR ROBERTS. SI RAYMOND JUNTOS SOBREVIVIR A LA MAYORIA SOLO IS PROBABLY A MEDIDA AVANZAMOS MAS HEMOS JUNTOS. AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS A LEGALLY COMPLEX AND DEVELOPING SITUATION. WE’RE NOT IN THE POSITION TO ANSWER FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. WE’LL CERTAINLY BE PROVIDING UPDATES. AND ADDRESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WHEN AND IF IT BECOMES AVAILABLE ON THIS, BUT WE ARE SORRY THAT WE’RE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RIGHT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY’S COMING OUT AND YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. AND WITH THAT, WE’LL CONCLUDE. I APPRECIATE IT. AND THERE YOU HAVE IT. DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ADDRESSING TODAY’S SHOCKING AND STILL DEVELOPING NEWS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS, WAS ARRESTED BY ICE EARLIER THIS MORNING AND THEY STARTED THEIR PRESS CONFERENCE BY SAYING THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER REPORTER QUESTIONS. EVERYONE HAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT LED UP TO THIS, HOW THIS HAPPENED, WHY THIS HAPPENED. BUT THE DISTRICT SAYS THEY’RE NOT ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TODAY BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY CALL THE LEGAL COMPLEXITIES OF THE ENTIRE SITUATION. AND THE SPANISH SPEAKING PART THAT ENDED THEIR PRESS CONFERENCE THERE. THAT WAS THE STATEMENTS THAT DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD CHAIR JACKIE NORRIS AND THEN ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT MATT SMITH, WHO’S NOW THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. WHAT THEY SAID EARLIER ON IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE, WE WANTED OUR SPANISH SPEAKING FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO THAT’S WHY WE STUCK WITH THAT MESSAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY. AND HERE’S WHAT WE DO KNOW. DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS STARTED AS THE DES MOINES SUPERINTENDENT IN JULY OF 2023. JACKIE NORRIS SAYS THAT HE HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT SINCE THEN. IN HER SPEECH, SHE SAID THE IOWA BOARD OF EDUCATIONAL EXAMINERS ISSUED HIM A LICENSE TO SERVE IN JULY OF 2023. SHE SAYS THE DISTRICT RECEIVED NEW INFORMATION TODAY, WHICH SHE DIDN’T ELABORATE ON WHAT THAT WAS. BUT SHE SAYS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT NEW INFORMATION. SHE SAID THAT REALLY, SHE WANTS EVERYONE TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT SHE CALLED RADICAL EMPATHY. A TERM THAT SHE SAYS COMES FROM DOCTOR ROBERTS. IN TERMS OF EVEN IF PEOPLE DISAGREE RADICALLY TO DEMONSTRATE EMPATHY IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, THEN SHE AND SHE TALKED ABOUT HIS CAREER AS AN EDUCATOR. 20 YEARS IN THE PROFESSION. HE WAS BORN IN GUYANA, AND ACCORDING TO HIS PAGE ON THE DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS WEBSITE, SPENT MOST OF HIS CHILDHOOD IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. AGAIN 20 YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR. HE CAME TO DES MOINES, AS LAURA MENTIONED IN 2023, FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PENNSYLVANIA. AND LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT ICE IS SAYING. ICE ACTUALLY RELEASED A STATEMENT TO OUR NEWSROOM, PROBABLY ABOUT 20 OR 30 MINUTES BEFORE WE WENT ON THE AIR. HERE I HAVE THAT PRINTED IN FRONT OF ME. THEY SAY TODAY, ICE DES MOINES ARRESTED IAN ANDRE ROBERTS, A CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN FROM GUYANA, IN POSSESSION OF A LOADED HANDGUN, $3,000 IN CASH AND A FIXED BLADE HUNTING KNIFE. AT THE TIME OF HIS ARREST. ROBERTS, THEY SAY, WAS WORKING AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DESPITE BEING AN ILLEGAL ALIEN WITH A FINAL ORDER OF REMOVAL AND NO WORK AUTHORIZATION. THAT’S DIRECTLY THE EXACT WORDS OF WHAT ICE EMAILED US. JUST NOT LONG BEFORE THIS NEWS CONFERENCE, AND WE CONTINUE TO COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. WE KNOW THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF OUTRAGE FROM MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS REGARDING WHAT WENT DOWN TODAY. THAT WILL, OF COURSE, BE PART OF OUR COVERAGE AS WE MOVE ON THROUGH THE EVENING. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW RIGHT NOW IS THAT DOCTOR IAN ROBERTS, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DES MOINES PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE 2023, IS CURRENTLY IN CUSTODY OF ICE. HE WAS ARRESTED THIS MORNING. HE RAN FROM A TRAFFIC STOP. THIS IS ACCORDING TO A RELEASE WE ALSO RECEIVED FROM ICE, PROVIDING MORE DETAILS. AND YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE. ����vlog.COM. AND FROM A BACKGROUND PERSPECTIVE. ALL OF OUR CREWS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ALL DAY SINCE WE HEARD, AND IT SEEMED AS THOUGH COLLECTIVELY, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE VERY SURPRISED BY THIS, DIDN’T KNOW THIS IS COMING AND WE’VE BEEN WORKING TO LEARN MORE ALL DAY LONG. WE HAVE CREWS COVERING RALLIES OF SUPPORT, REACHING OUT TO CENTRAL IOWA LEADERS ABOUT DOCTOR ROBERTS ARREST, AND WE’LL STAY ON TOP OF THIS STORY AS IT CONTINUES TO UNFOLD. WE’LL SEE YOU HERE IN ABOUT 30 MINUTES ON THE ����vlog EIGHT NEWS AT FOUR AN