DMPS holds first community conversation around school safety following East High shootings

Grace Altenhofen
Des Moines Register

Dozens of people crowded the lunchroom at East High School on Thursday for the first in a series of five community discussions about school violence and trauma within Des Moines Public Schools.

The five community conversations are intended to provide an opportunity to voice concerns and begin healing after shootings outside East High on March 7. Jose Lopez-Perez, 15, was killed in the shootings, and East High students Kemery Ortega, 18, and Jessica Lopez, 16, were injured. 

“The shooting outside of East High school is a tragic example of the many ways our students and our community are experiencing significant trauma," DMPS associate superintendent Matthew Smith said at the event. "These are complex issues and require responses from multiple community partners and entities. It takes all of us working together.”

Des Moines Public Schools held the first in a series of community conversations about school violence and trauma Thursday, April 28, 2022.

Smith said these conversations are a crucial step in healing the trauma that many students and community members have experienced, both from the East High shootings and other acts of violence in the community. 

"In moments of tragedy, I think oftentimes the reaction is to go silent. That’s exactly the opposite of what we need to do," Smith said. "We have to continue to come to the table with one another, we have to continue to talk about what we’re feeling and experiencing and speak about the trauma that all of us are going through in various ways."

More:DMPS to host community discussions on school violence following shooting outside East High

The community conversation series is a collaboration between DMPS and Iowa ACEs 360, an advocacy and research organization that empowers educators to help with the prevention and healing of childhood trauma. The organization will collect responses from each community event and create a report based on those findings. 

“Violence is not just a school issue — it’s a community issue, it’s a state issue, it’s a national issue," Smith said. "The solutions are within our community, so that’s why it’s important we have them here with us."

Des Moines Public Schools held the first in a series of community conversations about school violence and trauma Thursday, April 28, 2022.

Sonia Salas, whose nephew attends a Des Moines public school, believes community involvement is important in curbing violence in schools. 

"I know something needs to be changed in the schools," Salas said. "They (should) have the police back so they can respect the kids, and the parents come and work to take care of the kids in the schools and volunteer in the schools. Then things can change."

More:Gov. Kim Reynolds: Iowa should focus on education system rather than gun laws after East High shooting

The DMPS school board voted last year to end its school resource officer program, meaning police officers no longer patrol the district's school buildings.

Shannon Baker, a staff member at the Lutheran Church of Hope, attended the conversation with the hope of finding ways to support students and the community. 

"I think there’s a lot of frustration, but hopefully a lot of hope," Baker said. "It gives me encouragement just to see all these people here, because people care and that’s why they showed up. I’m excited to hear from the students, because we want to serve them the way they want to be served."

Des Moines Public Schools held the first in a series of community conversations about school violence and trauma Thursday, April 28, 2022.

Dwana Bradley, school board chair, said the district will learn from these conversations and "it will help us in ways we can’t even imagine."

"It’s important to let the community know that we care and we’re listening," Bradley said. "We could probably easily as a district do some of these things and make some decisions on their own, but I think we’re at a point where we’ve gone through an extremely tough time and people are hurting mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally. I think the best path forward, which is what the district is doing, is bringing our community alongside us."

More:Latino leaders mourn for victims and suspects after shooting outside of East High School

Attend future community conversations

May 2: Lincoln High School, 2600 SW Ninth St., Des Moines. Families from Brody, Howe, Jackson, Jefferson, Lovejoy, McCombs, Mckinley, Morris, Park Avenue, South Union, Studebaker, Weeks and Wright are invited. 

May 3: Roosevelt High School, 4419 Center St, Des Moines. Invited are families from Callanan, Cowles, Downtown School, Edmunds, Greenwood, Hanawalt, Hubbell, King, Merrill, Perkins, Walnut Street and Windsor.

May 11: Hoover High School, 4800 NW Aurora Ave., Des Moines. Families from Hillis, Meredith, Monroe, Moore and Samuelson are invited. 

May 12: North High School, 501 Holcomb Ave, Des Moines. Families from Cattell, Findley, Garton, Goodrell, Harding, Madison, Moulton and Oak Park are invited.

To register for any of these dates, visit https://www.dmschools.org/community-conversations

Grace Altenhofen is a news reporter for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at galtenhofen@registermedia.com or on Twitter @gracealtenhofen.