(A.K.A. Non-Original Rants)

–Co-opting good stuff from all over the ‘Net and maybe some original thoughts—ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

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The story of the Iowa superintendent keeps getting worse

It looks like multiple agencies and entities dropped the ball on this one. Plus it looks like the hiring bodies didn’t bother to double check the guy’s CV/resume.

According to DHS, Roberts was previously convicted of reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding in Maryland in 2012. The statement also said he was convicted in Pennsylvania of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in 2022.

Besides these, he also has charges of criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell, criminal possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a forgery instrument and possession of a forged instrument in New York dating back to 1996 and charges of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree weapon charges in 2020.

Additionally, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, its civil division served Roberts a sealed restraining order from Jackson County, Missouri, in August 2023.  It is unclear what prompted the restraining order since the order was sealed. 

He was also discovered to be illegally registered to vote as a Democrat in Maryland, raising serious questions about the state’s voter registration system.

Here’s a more complete list:

July 1996: Charges related to criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell.
Nov. 1998: One charge for third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle in Queens, New York, that was later dismissed.
Nov. 2012: Convicted for for reckless driving, unsafe operation, and speeding in Maryland.
Feb. 2020: Charges related to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Jan. 2022: Conviction of unlawful possession of a loaded firearm in Pennsylvania.
Sept. 2025: Arrested by ICE officers.
Oct. 2025: Criminal charge of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms.
In addition, Roberts’ lengthy history of interactions about his immigration status was released.

1994: He entered on a non-immigration visa and departed, but returned before his first arrest.
1999: He entered through San Francisco on a student visa and departed.
2000: ICE approved a work authorization request for Roberts.
2001: His green card request was rejected. He applied three more times though 2018 and was rejected each time.
2020: He was given a notice to appear before an immigration judge.
2024: He was ordered in absentia to be removed by a Texas judge.
April 2025: An immigration judge ruled against reopening his case.
Sept. 2025: He was arrested by ICE officials.

On the education side of his resume, he claimed to have gotten his EdD from Morgan State University (he attended but didn’t finish) and he claimed to be an ‘incoming MBA candidate’ at MIT in their business school (he never attended). My best guess on the second one is that he applied but either was not accepted or he was accepted and never enrolled (I’m betting the former).

There’s a whole bunch of other stuff. The education piece, I don’t understand. As I said in a previous post, original transcripts from the institutions listed should have been sent directly from each university to the hiring body. At the least, sealed transcripts should have been provided and then calls should have been made to verify.

And a conviction for a firearms charge in 2022 should have flagged in any background check.

I would also like to know if work authorizations are for one year, what happened between his first one in 2000 and the next one in 2018. That’s a pretty long period of time. And it’s not like the guy was invisible–he had some pretty high profile gigs. Why didn’t they take action sooner?

ETA: Comments are now open. I was messing with settings over the weekend. Thanks to Unferth for the heads-up.



15 responses to “The story of the Iowa superintendent keeps getting worse”

  1. Why was he even let back in the country after the criminal possession of narcotics with intent to sell charges in 1996?
    As you said, a lot of failures by a lot of agencies.

    Like

  2. “According to DHS, Roberts was previously convicted of reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding in Maryland in 2012.”

    This must have been when he got registered to vote in Maryland. (Motor-Voter registration on the back of the traffic ticket??)

    Like

  3. “According to DHS, Roberts was previously convicted of reckless driving, unsafe operation and speeding in Maryland in 2012.”

    This must have been when he got registered to vote in Maryland. (Motor-Voter registration on the back of the traffic ticket??)

    As Mr. Fleming pointed out: “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action”

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  4. Safe to say that Iowa will continue to hire from the diversity & inclusion pool but will keep it more on the downlow side.
    The left is so predictable.

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  5. I don’t think you could make up a more ludicrous story.

    This just keeps on giving and giving and giving.

    There are any number of “Officials” that need to be held to account here for sure.

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  6. It’s the women wanting to bonk him ’cause he’s such a nice black man who speaks well and wears a bow tie. Who would ever think a well dressed, well spoken man could be a criminal?

    What’s that P. T. Barnum quote?

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  7. Isn’t this the same guy who claimed to be an Olympic sprinter, a member of Queen Elizabeth’s security detail, the inspiration for Ian Fleming’s James Bond, inventor of the microprocessor and a cold fusion pioneer? I think I also heard that in his spare time he knits booties for homeless kittens and rewrote most of Shakespeare’s sonnets, correcting numerous grammatical and spelling errors in the originals.

    Never let the facts get in the way of a really good dieversity fairy tale.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Silliest–That’s the thing. Who dropped the ball initially?

    crazyeighter–Excellent observation. And yes, to paraphrase from The Usual Suspects, he was protected from on high by the prince of darkness himself.

    WDS–That they are. And they are very good at hiding things.

    boneman–It’s a new permutation every day.

    Nemo–Definitely one born every minute. And there were six of them on the school board.

    Harbinger–You forgot–he’s also got the cure for cancer.

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  9. 20 years ago I would have thought this following comment was crazy to the point of the person stating it needed serious help.

    ** It was completely intentional and he was a test to see how far it could go **

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  10. I’m wondering if that school board has a “casting couch” in their HR’s interview room? 🤔

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  11. Re. “Why didn’t they take action sooner?”

    Birds of a feather flock together.

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  12. At some point it goes from ignorance and stupidity to malice and stupidity.

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  13. Race card and ‘refugee’ card… nuff said.

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  14. It is being reported that the search firm is being sued as the blame roulette wheel starts to spin. What do you bet the discovery motions will end up sealed and the case settled by outside funds? In fact, the Karen school board should also be sued collectively and personally, into oblivion.

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  15. seamus–Could be. I’m betting that they wanted him in place for a different reason-one we won’t know.

    B.C.–If so, he must have ‘impressed’ them. 😉

    FLAwtha–True.

    Veeshir–I think they did pass that point.

    NFO–I’m betting there’s more.

    Texas Dan–I’m hoping it’ll be more open and yes, the school board members should all be sued as individuals.

    Like

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