Statewide, Iowa (RI) – The chair of the Iowa House Oversight Committee says the arrest and evolving details about former Des Moines superintendent Ian Roberts are a great embarassment for the state — and citizens expect lawmakers to respond.
Republican Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City has sent the Des Moines School Board a letter, telling the board to keep every document related to the situation, including email and voice mail messages.
The Des Moines School Board hired a search firm that recommended Roberts, paid another firm to review his credentials and hired a Des Moines law firm to review his payroll application, which included a drivers license and Social Security card. Roberts also submitted fingerprints and other materials to the Iowa Board of Examiners two years ago and was granted a state license to serve as a superintendent.
The Associated Press has reported the Des Moines School Board hired Roberts after learning he had been enrolled at Morgan State, but did not receive the doctorate in urban educational leadership listed on his resume. Roberts’ attorney and a spokesman for the school board say Roberts has a doctorate from Trident University International, a for-profit school that has not responded to media requests to confirm that.
Thomson has not scheduled a committee hearing at this point, however.
Thomson says nothing is off the table in terms of legislation that would address whatever lawmakers discover, but he says they have to develop a timeline based on the established facts of the case first. Thomson, who is an attorney, says it’s important that the constitutional rights of those involved are respected — and he wants to ensure the committee’s work doesn’t interfere with any federal prosecution of Roberts.
The Woodbury County Sheriff announced this past week that federal authorities had taken custody of Roberts. Roberts had been held in the Woodbury County jail in Sioux City.
