ALBANY, GA -
"Cheating was a way of life." That's how state investigators described the culture at just one Dougherty County elementary school.
Their scathing report out today implicates 49 educators in cheating on 2009 CRCT's; 18 of them confessed.
But the investigators say there was probably much more cheating that they can't prove. They blame the pressures of meeting Adequate Yearly Progress goals and a failure of leadership at all levels.
Investigators believe that cheating went further than the names in this report, they say it was impossible to talk to everyone. They lay the blame on principals who they claim didn't do enough to supervise testing or were directly involved in the misconduct.
The state investigation centers around principals in 11 Dougherty County elementary schools.
"Some just signed the document and said everything was alright when it wasn't but they were not active in any kind of scheme, others seemed to lead the charge," said the school board's attorney, Tommy Coleman.
Three Principals Westtown Elementary's principal Alene Pringle, Northside Elementary's Angela Schumante and MLK Principal Carolyn Scott invoked their fifth amendment rights, under civil law investigators say that's implied admission of wrongdoing.
"Pleading the fifth amendment protects them from self incrimination and the operative word is crime, and we're not in the business in the school system of dealing with the crime part if it," said Coleman.
The biggest problems appeared at Jackson Heights Elementary, where they seized computers, and six educators admitted to cheating. Investigators believe Principal Dr. Lazoria Walker Brown directed teachers Tanza Sutton and Vernell Lowther to enter other classrooms and cheat by giving students the correct answers to the tests.
Investigators found teachers also cheated on unit tests. "It's my understand from the Superintendent, if you cheated he doesn't intend for you to work from the Dougherty County School system anymore, I think he made that clear and he will either ask for their resignation or I'm sure they'll be subject to some sort of tribunal," said Coleman.
At Westtown Elementary teachers confessed Principal Alene Pringle coordinated, directed, and facilitated cheating approaching Gloria Mosley and sending tests to her classroom after school hours to have students answers changed. Others admitted to giving students the answers.
"I think it was very critical of the system and I think that all that we can do is take that as a Clarion call and take it as a benchmark to improve," said Coleman.
At Morningside Elementary teachers told investigators Principal Jose Roquemore directed them to illegally alter students grades by coercing, intimidating, or disciplining teachers who refused to make changes.
Unit tests would be administered as many times as it took for students to pass. At Sherwood, Lamar Reese, Sylvester Road, Turner, and Alice Coachman students were prompted to change wrong answers using voice inflection or facial expressions. At Radium Springs, investigators believe there was cheating by couldn't conclude how it occurred.
"They couldn't put a finger on it they couldn't attribute it to anybody so that leaves it up to the school system to deal with it," said Coleman.
It's something the system will deal with for months to come.
We tried to reach now Superintendent Dr. Joshua Murfree, but were told he was out of town for a funeral. He did say the system must now move forward and that the guilty should do what they need to do to allow the system to be rebuilt, and repair the damage.
District Attorney Greg Edwards told us he hasn't seen the report and must review it and consult with the governor's office before determining if anyone should face criminal charges.
No educators have resigned, but we know some have talked with their attorneys about resigning.
Attorney Howard Stiller represents several teachers and administrators who were questioned. He's still checking into what the report says about his clients, but has recommended they don't make any decisions until hearing from school administrators.
To read the governor's report, click the links below to open the .PDF files.
Copyright 2011 WALB. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2011 WALB. All rights reserved.
Attorney Howard Stiller
