In brief
Ian Roberts, the former superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested by federal agents for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship. A report revealed the district's hiring firm, JG Consulting, provided an incomplete background check and a suspected forged transcript. The school district is now navigating implications from this incident as a lawsuit against the consulting firm unfolds.
Des Moines, Iowa (AP) — In a troubling development for the state's largest school district, a report released on Friday revealed that the Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) may have fallen victim to inadequate vetting processes in hiring Ian Roberts, their former superintendent, who was recently indicted by federal authorities for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship.
Hired in 2023 with assistance from the consulting firm JG Consulting, the district is now scrutinizing its hiring procedures after an investigation uncovered that they received an abbreviated background check that only covered the last seven years of Roberts' past—a limitation that fails to meet federal expectations for earlier positions of high pay.
Roberts, who claimed a doctoral degree from Morgan State University, allegedly provided a forged transcript, while the consulting firm maintains the district was aware of Roberts’ background issues, raising questions of responsibility in the hiring fiasco. An indictment against Roberts lists multiple criminal charges, including unlawful possession of firearms, further complicating the narrative surrounding the hiring process.
This situation reflects broader challenges within employment verification systems, where shortcomings in background checks can have severe implications for institutional integrity and trust.
The DMPS has stated intentions to leverage the findings of the report in their ongoing litigation against JG Consulting, who is accused of shifting responsibility onto the district. Roberts’ trial is set for March, with the scandal lingering over the school community.
