DES MOINES, Iowa (RTW News) — Iowa's largest school district, Des Moines Public Schools, has filed a lawsuit against JG Consulting, the firm it hired to assist in the selection of superintendent candidates. The lawsuit, filed on Friday, claims JG Consulting failed to properly vet Ian Roberts, who was arrested by immigration authorities last week.
The district had engaged JG Consulting in 2022 for their leadership search, which culminated in Roberts’ hiring. Current issues arose when it was revealed that Roberts, a native of Guyana, was in the U.S. illegally and lacked work authorization. Federal prosecutors have charged him with possessing multiple firearms while residing in the country unlawfully.
School board chair Jackie Norris emphasized that the focus of the lawsuit is on recouping taxpayer funds and addressing the reputational harm inflicted on the district due to the hiring misstep.
“The firm failed its duty to properly vet candidates. Ian Roberts should have never been presented as a finalist,” Norris stated. “If we knew what we know now, he would never have been hired.”
Community reactions have been swift, with students walking out of classrooms in protest following Roberts’ arrest. The board has described itself as a “victim of deception” throughout Roberts’ tenure.
Following his arrest, Roberts resigned from his post as superintendent after the state education board revoked his credentials. Immigration officials disclosed that he had a final removal order from last year, while his lawyer claimed he believed his case was resolved through earlier legal counsel.
JG Consulting has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. The complaint highlights that the consulting firm was responsible for conducting thorough background checks on candidates, a responsibility they allegedly neglected.
Roberts has faced scrutiny for discrepancies in his educational credentials, including falsely claiming to have obtained a doctoral degree prior to its actual completion.
