Guyanese-born Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts loses license amid deportation battle
Key Points(5)
- Ian Roberts, a Guyanese-born educator who rose to lead Des Moines Public Schools, has been thrown into turmoil after the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked his professional administrator’s license.
- The board cited Roberts’ lack of legal presence in the United States, following his arrest by U.S.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week.
- Many Guyanese, both at home and abroad, hailed his rise as a story of perseverance, from the athletics track to the helm of a major U.S.
- But ICE officials say Roberts has been under a “final order of removal” since May 2024, tied to a longstanding immigration case.
The career of Dr. Ian Roberts, a Guyanese-born educator who rose to lead Des Moines Public Schools, has been thrown into turmoil after the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners revoked his professional administrator’s license.
The board cited Roberts’ lack of legal presence in the United States, following his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week.
In a blunt letter, BOEE Executive Director Michael Cavin wrote: "Our office has received information that you no longer possess legal presence in the United States… the license issued by the Board of Educational Examiners is no longer valid and your authority to serve as superintendent is revoked."
Roberts, who grew up in Georgetown, Guyana, and represented the country as a track and field athlete, was celebrated in 2023 for his appointment as superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district. Many Guyanese, both at home and abroad, hailed his rise as a story of perseverance, from the athletics track to the helm of a major U.S. school system.
But ICE officials say Roberts has been under a “final order of removal” since May 2024, tied to a longstanding immigration case. He has been detained at the Woodbury County Jail since his arrest on September 26 during what the agency described as a “targeted enforcement operation” for allegedly living and working in the U.S. illegally.
The Des Moines School Board responded quickly. In a special meeting Monday evening, the board voted unanimously to place Roberts on unpaid administrative leave. Chair Jackie Norris explained the board’s action:
"We received a document from the Department of Homeland Security notifying us that Dr. Roberts is an unauthorized worker in this country. We then received a copy of the final order of removal issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and signed by an immigration judge."
Roberts’ license, originally valid until December 2028, was terminated immediately. He has until October 28 to appeal the decision. Meanwhile, the school board plans to discuss whether to terminate his employment contract later this week.
The unfolding situation has sparked protests outside the Federal Building in Des Moines, with parents, students, and civil rights advocates rallying in Roberts’ defense. Community members have expressed shock at the news, questioning how Roberts was cleared for the superintendent role despite undergoing multiple background checks. School and state officials have noted that Roberts had identified himself as an American citizen on school documentation.
