(Des Moines, IA) -- The Des Moines School Board admits they knew Ian Roberts did not have a PhD from Morgan State University as they were originally told.
In a statement on the district blog Wednesday afternoon the board says during the background check the board was given an updated resume showing Roberts did not graduate from Morgan State, as he claimed in his first resume.
In the blog statement, posted in its entirety below, Board President Jackie Norris says the Des Moines School Board is also a victim of deception by Dr. Roberts. She says they are committed to improving their process moving forward.
Des Moines Board of Education Blog Statement:
Wednesday, October 1 – 5:45 PM
Resume Clarification from DMPS Regarding Ian Roberts
For clarification purposes, the Des Moines School Board wants to provide additional context on the current speculation surrounding Dr. Roberts’ resume.
Dr. Roberts provided an initial resume to JG Consulting that indicated he earned a doctorate from Morgan State University.
During the background check, which was the responsibility of the search firm, the degree error was flagged, and the resume was revised to note ABD, or “all but dissertation,” which is required to earn such a degree.
The revised resume is what Board members had when they interviewed the finalists.
The Board was aware Dr. Roberts did not graduate from Morgan State University at the time of his hiring.
After Dr. Roberts was hired in May 2023, there was a FOIA request for the documents related to his hiring. At that time, DMPS reached out to JG Consulting to ask them to provide a copy of the documents. The documents provided by JG Consulting included the original resume and not the revised resume.
“I want to be clear. In a world of misinformation and disinformation, speculation becomes narrative and blame is rampant. The Des Moines School Board is also a victim of deception by Dr. Roberts, one on a growing list that includes our students and teachers, our parents and community, our elected officials and Iowa’s Board of Educational Examiners, and others,” said school board President Jackie Norris. “We are committed to the community we serve and will find ways to improve our entire process as we move forward.”