By:Robin Opsahl
Iowa Capital Dispatch
The Des Moines School Board is suing JG Consulting, the firm contracted in the search that led to hiring former Superintendent Ian Roberts.
The board hired Roberts in 2023. He held the position until Sept. 30, when he resigned after being placed on unpaid administrative leave by the school board Monday and having his license revoked by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners Sunday.
These actions came after Roberts was detained by U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement. Roberts, who is a citizen of Guyana according to court documents, was arrested by ICE agents Sept. 26 during a “targeted enforcement operation,” a news release from the federal agency stated. A handgun, hunting knife and $3,000 in cash were found in his vehicle, and ICE stated he evaded arrest.
While there has been significant confusion and backlash surrounding Roberts’ detainment, in the days since his arrest, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released documents confirming Roberts was given an order of removal by an immigration judge in May 2024, and he has faced multiple criminal charges.
Some of the information that has come to light about Roberts’ background, such as a 2022 criminal charge for having a loaded weapon in his vehicle while hunting, and that he had not received the doctorate from Morgan State University claimed in his resume, were subjects flagged for Des Moines Public Schools and board members during the superintendent search process.
But DMPS officials said many of the issues brought up since his arrest — including his immigration status, previous criminal charges as well as the falsification of other parts of his resume — were subjects that should have been flagged during the search and background check process.
After two closed session meetings Friday, Board President Jackie Norris announced the board was filing a lawsuit against JG Consulting for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation and negligence in the process of offering Roberts as a candidate.
The lawsuit states the $41,000 contract between the search firm and DMPS required candidates be referred to the district only if the business “reasonably believed the candidate could lawfully and satisfactorily perform the position and that the candidate’s application materials were true and complete.”
Norris said JG Consulting “failed its duty to properly vet candidates,” and that Roberts “should have never been presented as a finalist.” The contract required the firm to conduct “comprehensive reference calls” to verify employment experiences, in addition to criminal, credit and background checks conducted through a third party, Norris said, and the business was required to provide all known information, both positive and negative, to the board.
“That did not occur,” Norris said. “We are pursuing pursuing legal action, as allowed by law. This is about accountability. Taxpayer dollars were used, and we are seeking accountability.”
The DHS report, released Friday, included information on Roberts’ alleged criminal history such as 1996 charges for the criminal possession of narcotics and possession of a forged instrument in New York as well as previously reported weapons charges.
“Ian Andre Roberts, a criminal illegal alien with multiple weapons charges and a drug trafficking charge, should have never been able to work around children,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the news release. “When ICE officers arrested this Superintendent, he was in possession of an illegal handgun, a hunting knife, and nearly $3,000 in cash. This criminal illegal alien is now in U.S. Marshals custody and facing charges for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearms.”
Several of the academic institutions Roberts claimed to have received degrees or honors from disputed having records of his enrollment, or of granting him awards, the Des Moines Register has reported.
Josh Romero, attorney for JG Consulting, said in a statement Friday that Roberts had provided the necessary documents to show he was eligible for the superintendent position in regard to his citizenship — he had completed the I-9 employment eligibility verification form and submitted other required documentation showing his employment eligibility when hired by DMPS.
Romero also stated that the firm’s team “identified and reported to the board on the discrepancy in his educational history prior to the board making its selection,” and that the Des Moines school board chose to move forward.
“That the district has now decided to litigate about their choice of candidate at this time, when they have had all relevant information since the beginning, is unfortunate and unwarranted,” Romero said in the statement. “We will answer any claims brought by the district in court.”
JG Consulting had contracted with Baker-Eubanks, a separate consulting firm, to perform third-party background checks during Roberts’ hiring process. A news release from Baker-Eubanks stated it was not contracted to perform work addressing eligibility or citizenship verification.
But Norris said information on Roberts’ criminal history and educational background should have been uncovered through the search process.
“I think it’s clear that people are identifying and finding information online in a matter of hours,” Norris said. “And so it is probably something that they should have caught, and that was our expectation.”