Jackie Norris Withdraws from Iowa Senate Race
Jackie Norris, the Chairwoman of Des Moines Public Schools, announced on Thursday that she is stepping aside from her bid for a vacant Iowa Senate seat. This decision comes after she encountered significant backlash for expressing support for former school superintendent Ian Andre Roberts, an undocumented immigrant.
Norris, a Democrat and former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, emphasized that the “superintendent’s crisis” took her focus away from her primary role as board president. She described facing a “vicious and coordinated attack” which she felt distracted her from advocating for children, families, and educators within the community.
“These realities took time and oxygen away from the work I set out to do,” she stated.
Roberts, who was the superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, recently resigned following his arrest by immigration officials, which occurred after a car chase. Authorities reported finding a gun, a knife, and a significant sum of cash in his vehicle.
Roberts has a lengthy criminal history, including returning illegally to the U.S. from Guyana in 1999 after prior arrests for theft and drug offenses. In 2012, he faced convictions for reckless driving and other traffic violations. Despite being ordered to be deported and having overstayed several visas, he was still listed as an active voter registered as a Democrat in Maryland.
Norris’s competitor for the Senate position, Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), called for her resignation from the board and withdrawal from the race, arguing that Norris had failed to maintain even basic hiring standards within the school system.
In her statement, Norris expressed that the school board has demonstrated leadership during the crisis, emphasizing the need to focus on her current responsibilities. She mentioned plans to support the Reimagine Education Bond and contribute to the ongoing investigation, declaring her commitment to her community.
As of now, the school board has not commented on these developments, and Norris’s office has also chosen not to provide additional remarks.
