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.
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.
Hellbound and Down 