Des Moines district files lawsuit against vetting firm
The Des Moines Public Schools filed a lawsuit Friday against the consulting company it hired to identify and vet its superintendent candidates, alleging that JG Consulting failed to properly vet Ian Roberts. The district, Iowa’s largest, contends the firm breached its contract and was negligent in the leadership search that led to Roberts’ hiring in 2023. Board chair Jackie Norris emphasized that the district is seeking accountability and a recovery of taxpayer dollars after what she described as a deception-laden process that put a credible, qualified candidate in question.
“The firm failed its duty to properly vet candidates. Ian Roberts should have never been presented as a finalist,” Norris said. “If we knew what we know now, he would never have been hired.” The district serves about 30,000 students and employs nearly 5,000 staff, underscoring the scope and stakes of the hiring process and the subsequent fallout.
Background: How Ian Roberts became DSM’s superintendent
In 2022, Des Moines Public Schools contracted JG Consulting to conduct the leadership search, which culminated in Roberts’ appointment the following year. The district’s complaint outlines the vendor’s duties, including advertising, recruitment, application and resume review, public-domain searches, complete reference checks, and presenting qualified candidates to the board. The contract also required the firm to reveal both positive and negative information to district leaders as part of a transparent process.
The district has said a background check flagged a discrepancy with Roberts’ claimed doctorate. Roberts had used a doctorate title well before earning the degree from Trident University International in 2021. Public records indicate he did not receive the Morgan State University doctorate he listed on a resume, a fact the district confirmed through a background check. While a revised resume indicated the dissertation was not completed, the board was also shown an alert that the variance existed in the original materials. Norris said the contracting firm should have brought all such information to the board, but failed to do so, leaving the district “a victim of deception.”
Roberts’ credentials and the search process have since become central to questions about the district’s recruitment practices and the reliability of outside vendors hired to vet top administrators.
The allegations and what comes next
Roberts was arrested after a traffic stop, with federal officials alleging he was in the United States illegally and lacked work authorization. Prosecutors charged him with possessing four firearms while in the country illegally, including one reported to have been wrapped in a towel inside a vehicle during the stop. The case has since led to a cascade of consequences: Roberts resigned as superintendent after the state board revoked his license, and he remains in federal custody in Des Moines.
Authorities have said Roberts had a final removal order issued in 2023, and an immigration judge denied a motion to reopen the case this April. Roberts’ attorney has suggested he believed the immigration matter had been resolved based on prior representation, underscoring how conflicting information can complicate such cases. The district noted it was aware of a 2020 weapons-related charge in Pennsylvania, which it said was addressed early on; Roberts pleaded guilty there to a minor infraction for unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm in a vehicle.
Impact on the community and school operations
News of Roberts’ arrest and the ensuing licensing issues have sent shock waves through the community. Students have staged walkouts, and local residents have gathered to hear from Roberts’ legal team while trying to reconcile the public-facing, engaged administrator with the courtroom and immigration proceedings. The district has consistently described itself as the victim of misrepresentation and a flawed vetting process, reinforcing the push for accountability and more robust oversight of outside search firms.
What this case means for vetting practices
Education leaders and legal experts say the case could influence how districts manage executive search collaborations, particularly regarding due diligence, disclosure of negative information, and recoupment of tax dollars in instances of proven malpractice by third-party firms. The Des Moines lawsuit seeks to clarify the responsibilities of search firms and the remedies available to districts when a contractor’s diligence falls short, with potential implications beyond this single case for future superintendent searches.
