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Beverly Knighton Harris was one of 49 educators named in the state's CRCT cheating report. The superintendent recommended her contract not be renewed after she rejected a suspension deal.
But today that's exactly what she got.
Beverly Knighton Harris, a former first grade teacher at Sylvester Road Elementary sat emotionless during the majority of her hearing, occasionally nodding, until it was her turn to take the stand.
"But I know I did not go in that room and intentionally try to cheat. I would never try to cheat a child in my life," said Knighton Harris.
She was accused of using facial expressions and voice inflection to prompt her students on the 2009 CRCT. Her attorney, Howard Stiller says Knighton-Harris didn't do anything wrong.
Flin Coleman, the school system's attorney, played an hour and 20 minute interview of GBI agents questioning Knighton Harris, who said she felt ambushed and didn't even know her classroom was flagged for cheating until the agents showed up.
"She did make it seem that I had to solve the investigation for her," stated Knighton Harris.
Out of 19 students she had 79 answers that were changed from wrong to right on the math section and 49 answers that were change from wrong to right on the reading section of the CRCT.
During the taped interview Knighton Harris said she might have used voice inflection and it could have contributed to the wrong to right erasures. But during the hearing, she said she was not the cause for those erasures.
The tribunal denied the recommendation to not renew Knighton Harris' contract and give her a 40 contract day suspension without pay.
"There were three men who were on the tribunal, well rounded educators, who've been through this arena many times before felt like this was the best avenue for Ms. Knighton Harris," said Ed Dyson, the tribunal chairman.
Coleman says he originally offered that same fate to her, but she opted for her own hearing.
"Oh I think it was fair, I do. I had recommended the same thing for six other people, all of whom the evidence was similar, not all evidence is alike, but it's very close to what she was accused of having done," said Coleman.
While her attorney wishes they would have reinstated her contract without any suspension, he does consider this to be somewhat of a victory.
"I thought there was some evidence in conflict here and that's what they acknowledged as well by their decision," said Stiller.
Now they'll have to wait for the school boards final decision.
Coleman says the tribunal panel can make changes to the recommendation. "There's a way for the panel to craft the remedy that they think is fair. It's not an all or nothing," explained Coleman.
Now the recommendation will go before the school board who will vote on the final decision.
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The tribunal does not accept non renewal recommendation for Beverly Knighton Harris, a former first grade teacher at Sylvester Road Elementary School.
They recommend 40 day suspension without pay.
Knighton Harris was named in the 2009 CRCT cheating scandal. She's accused of using facial expressions and voice inflections to assist students on the CRCT.
She was given a notice of non-renewal this past May.
The hearing officer is T. Gamble and the panel was made up of Sam Allen, Ed Dyson and Charles Strickland.
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