Controversy Surrounds Iowa's Largest School District Superintendent as Misrepresentation Arises

Fri Oct 10 2025 14:18:48 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines school district, resigns amid immigration issues and false claims about academic credentials, sparking discussions on integrity in education leadership.

Ian Roberts, superintendent of Iowa's largest school district, resigned after being detained by immigration agents. It was revealed he falsely claimed a doctoral degree in his application, and despite the school board being aware, they still hired him. He is currently facing deportation to Guyana as he challenges the order, with his background check revealing discrepancies in his academic credentials and a past weapons charge.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Ian Roberts, the superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, was detained last week by immigration agents and has resigned amid allegations of falsifying his educational credentials when applying for the job two years ago.

Roberts claimed in his job application that he had obtained a doctoral degree in urban educational leadership from Morgan State University in 2007. However, the university confirmed to The Associated Press that he had never completed the requirements for such a degree.

Despite the Des Moines school board being informed of this discrepancy prior to his hiring, they proceeded to appoint him to lead the district, which serves around 30,000 students. The district's spokesman, Phil Roeder, stated that a third-party background check highlighted that Roberts did not finish his degree from Morgan State, yet he still secured the superintendent role.

Roberts has since been detained under a removal order and has remained in custody while challenging his deportation to Guyana. His attorney, Alfredo Parrish, has yet to provide a comment about the educational misrepresentation but is reviewing the implications of the case.

The district's hiring policies stipulated that applicants needed at least a master's degree, which Roberts met. He also cited a doctorate from Trident University International, which was confirmed to be accurate. However, questions regarding his integrity have arisen, as experts point out that misrepresentation of credentials raises significant concerns about character in educational leadership.

"If they are making misrepresentations on their CV, is this a person of moral character?" asked Sadika Jubo, an expert in school liability. "They are going to be in charge of the district, money, funds, people’s lives. Is this someone we want to hire?”

In addition to the academic misrepresentations, Roberts is facing issues from a previous job, where a settlement involving his treatment of a subordinate raised further scrutiny. This settlement, which involved claims of unlawful treatment, resulted in a $250,000 payment by the former school district where Roberts worked.

The implications of Roberts' actions have led the Des Moines school board to revoke his superintendent license and accept his resignation amidst deteriorating circumstances.