Des Moines Public Schools files lawsuit against superintendent search firm
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DMPS chairperson Jackie Norris (right) reads from a statement about the lawsuit. Screenshot: DMPS livestream
Des Moines Public Schools is suing JG Consulting, the firm hired by the district to conduct the superintendent search.
Driving the news: District leaders say the search firm failed to catch red flags in finalist Ian Roberts' background — the former DMPS superintendent who's been under scrutiny this past week over his legal status and disputed academic credentials.
- "For a company that was on the hook for ... a comprehensive criminal, credit and background check, it seems that something was clearly missed," DMPS board chairperson Jackie Norris shared following a special session meeting Friday morning.
- An attorney for JG Consulting said in a statement that Roberts provided all documentation needed to be hired by DMPS and noted that prior schools and search firms also failed to notice anything wrong with his immigration status.
Flashback: The district hired JG Consulting in 2022, paying $40,743 for advertising, recruitment, background checks and presenting the board with qualified candidates.
- Former DMPS Superintendent Ian Roberts was presented as a finalist, something that should never have happened, Norris says.
State of play: Since Roberts' detainment, confusion has been rampant about his legal status in the U.S., as well as his academic and professional background.
- In his self-published book, Roberts stated he received a doctoral degree from Morgan State University, and a DMPS article published in 2024 repeats that. But a university spokesperson told the Register he did not receive a degree.
- JG Consulting informed the school board that Roberts did not actually have a doctoral degree from MSU, but the board continued its decision to hire him, noting a doctoral degree was not required for the superintendent role, Norris said Friday.
- Roberts also claimed credentials from MIT and George Washington University, but both schools told the Register those claims were false.
- "It's clear that people are identifying and finding information online in a matter of hours, and so it is probably something that they should have caught," Norris says.
What they're saying: Beyond DMPS' background checks, Norris pointed out that the Iowa Board of Examiners, the state agency that provides licenses, did not flag Roberts.
- "This is an issue that's bigger than just our district, since this is something that happened to the state of Iowa as well."
The other side: Josh Romero, attorney for JG Consulting, said in a statement that Roberts gave documentation showing he was eligible for the DMPS superintendent position.
- He also noted that the DMPS school board chose to select Roberts as its superintendent, despite the firm noting the doctoral discrepancy on his CV.
- "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. We will answer any claims brought by the district in court," per the statement.
Between the lines: The school board is taking things "one step at a time" and is currently focusing on its lawsuit against the search firm.
- Millcreek Township School District, Roberts' former employer before he moved to Des Moines, is considering suing him and the firm they hired for their search.