Iowa’s Largest School District Sues Consulting Firm After Superintendent’s ICE Arrest Scandal
Iowa’s Largest School District Sues Consulting Firm After Superintendent’s ICE Arrest Scandal
DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Public Schools, Iowa’s largest school district, has filed a lawsuit against JG Consulting, the firm it hired to identify superintendent candidates. The district alleges the Texas-based company failed to properly vet Ian Roberts, who was arrested by immigration authorities last week and has since resigned amid a burgeoning scandal.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday, accuses JG Consulting of breach of contract and negligence. School board chair Jackie Norris stated the district aims to recoup taxpayer dollars and address significant reputational damage, emphasizing, “The firm failed its duty to properly vet candidates. Ian Roberts should have never been presented as a finalist.”
Roberts, a Guyana native, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials last week for being in the U.S. illegally and lacking work authorization. Federal prosecutors subsequently charged him with possessing four firearms while unlawfully in the country. He resigned from his post this week after a state education board revoked his license.
The district asserts it was a “victim of deception,” noting Roberts signed a form attesting to U.S. citizenship upon hiring and submitted a Social Security card and driver’s license. However, federal authorities revealed Roberts had a final removal order issued last year, and an immigration judge denied reopening his case this past April.
Further scrutiny revealed discrepancies in Roberts’ credentials. While he falsely claimed a doctorate from Morgan State University in 2007, he never received the degree, a fact flagged in a background check during the hiring process. Although the school board later saw a revised resume indicating an incomplete dissertation, the district alleges JG Consulting was contractually obligated to bring all pertinent information, positive or negative, to the board’s attention.
The arrest and subsequent revelations have sent shockwaves through the community, leading to student protests and public questioning. James Guerra, president and CEO of JG Consulting, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.