Charles City Legislator Sends Letter to Des Moines Public Schools to Preserve Evidence in Roberts’ Investigation
A northeast Iowa legislator is asking for full cooperation from Des Moines Public Schools in the wake of the arrest of the district’s superintendent by ICE on Friday.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says 54-year-old Ian Roberts is a native of Guyana who was living illegally in the U-S and a judge issued a deportation order in May of last year. State officials say Roberts checked the box that said he was a U.S. citizen when he applied for a state license to serve as superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district.
The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners conducted a criminal history check and state officials say no deviations were identified and it was up to the school district to check Roberts’ immigration status. Des Moines School Board Board president Jackie Norris said the district hired a private firm to conduct a background check on Roberts. The school board has placed Roberts on unpaid administrative leave.
State Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City is the chair of the House Government Oversight Committee. He is also a lawyer.
As the investigation in Roberts hiring unfolds, Thomsom has sent a letter to Des Moines Public Schools informing DMPS they are required to take certain actions to preserve and protect potential evidence regarding the Ian Roberts situation for the House Government Oversight Committee. The letter advises, in part: “Any destruction, alteration, or failure to preserve such documents or evidence will be considered spoliation and may result in severe consequences, including sanctions, adverse inference determinations, monetary penalties, and potential criminal liability.”
On Monday (09.29), the state board of educational examiners revoked the state license for Roberts because state officials received information that Roberts “no longer possesses legal presence in the U.S.”
Roberts is being held in the Woodbury County jail in Sioux City and faces deportation. The Iowa-Nebraska chapter of the NAACP said its leadership spoke with Roberts Sunday (09.28) and the organization is calling on federal, state and local authorities to “guarantee due process and full transparency” about his case.
