In 2023, the Des Moines School Board appointed Ian Andre Roberts as Superintendent of Schools, handing him one of the most lucrative contracts in Iowa public education.
His base salary started at $270,000. That alone should raise eyebrows in a state where teachers regularly earn less than $50,000 a year.
But what makes this case even more alarming is the fact that Roberts was an illegal immigrant with a criminal record when he was hired.
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Roberts entered the United States legally but overstayed his visa.
By May 2024, he had received a final deportation order, yet he remained in charge of the entire Des Moines Public School District.
Worse still, when the board voted to hire him, they were already aware that Roberts had faced a weapons charge in 2020.
Despite these red flags, the school board proceeded with the appointment, prioritizing political connections and appearances over community safety and integrity.
The arrangement was not only reckless—it was expensive. According to the Des Moines Register, Roberts’ contract went far beyond a six-figure base salary.
Taxpayers were also on the hook for a payment to a “tax-sheltered annuity” equal to 14% of his annual pay. That comes out to nearly $38,000 per year.
Illegal Alien Ian Roberts somehow became Superintendent of Des Moines schools with a $270,000 SALARY + BENEFITS.
The Board Chair who HIRED him was Michelle Obama’s former CHIEF OF STAFF.
Do you see the Democrat Party TREND?
— Gregory Lyakhov (@GregoryLyakhov) September 27, 2025
Add in a $600 monthly car allowance and reimbursements for “all in-district related travel,” and Roberts’ total compensation package soared well above $300,000 annually.
The school board defended Roberts’ credentials, touting his academic background.
He claimed to hold a Doctorate in Urban Education Leadership from St. John’s University. Yet a quick look at St. John’s own website shows no such degree exists.
At best, the claim is misleading; at worst, it suggests Roberts embellished his resume while being considered for one of the most powerful education jobs in the state.
At the center of this scandal is Jackie Norris, the Board Chair who oversaw Roberts’ appointment.
Norris is no ordinary school official. She is a longtime Democrat who previously served as Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama.
Her resume includes time as CEO of Goodwill of Central Iowa and leadership roles at Points of Light, a global nonprofit.
Today she runs a consulting business, the Horizon Group.
With those political connections and a national profile, Norris’ influence helped pave the way for Roberts to secure the superintendent job despite glaring concerns.
This is more than just a bad hire. It exposes the extent to which political favoritism and negligence can jeopardize local schools.
At a time when public trust in institutions is already fragile, the Des Moines School Board’s decision to put an illegal immigrant with a weapons charge in charge of taxpayer dollars and children’s education is indefensible.