Thursday, April 16, 2015

Atlanta Teachers Sentenced to Detention For Cheating on Tests

It's their own fault in my eyes; they should have went into defense contracting or worked for a Wall Street firm:

"Atlanta educators convicted in school cheating scandal" New York Times  April 02, 2015

ATLANTA — In a major victory for prosecutors, a number of Atlanta educators were found guilty Wednesday for their roles in a public school cheating scandal, bringing a close to a half-decade drama that tarnished a major school district’s reputation and raised questions nationwide about the wisdom of pushing educators to improve students’ standardized test scores.

On their eighth day of deliberations, the jurors convicted 11 of the 12 defendants of racketeering, a felony that could put them in prison for decades.

Why not just execute them all?

Many of the defendants — a mixture of teachers, testing coordinators, and administrators — were also convicted of lesser charges, such as making false statements.

Now, see, if you had lied us into war while profiting yourself and your friends, that would have been okay.

Judge Jerry W. Baxter of the Fulton County Superior Court ordered most of the educators to be taken into custody immediately, and they were led from the courtroom in handcuffs. Baxter, who presided over a trial that started with opening statements more than six months ago, will begin sentencing hearings next week.

“Our entire effort in this case was simply to get our community to stop and take a look at our educational system,” District Attorney Paul L. Howard Jr. said. “I think because of the decision of this jury today that people will stop. I think people will stop and they will make an assessment of our educational system.” 

I see rank corruption, a rotting carcass, and hypocritical liars at its head. Think the kids are getting the lesson, or are they too stoo-pid as the tests would seem to indicate?

The dozen educators who stood trial, including five teachers and a principal, were indicted in March 2013 after years of questions about how Atlanta students had substantially improved their scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, a standardized examination given throughout Georgia.

Governor Sonny Perdue ultimately ordered an investigation. Nearly 180 employees, including 38 principals, were accused of wrongdoing.

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NDUs:

"Plea deals possible in Atlanta educators’ cheating trial" Associated Press  April 14, 2015

ATLANTA — An Atlanta judge urged 10 former educators Monday to accept sentencing deals with the prosecution in a trial over a widespread conspiracy to cheat on state tests, and he threatened jail sentences for them if they fail to reach those deals.

My introductory comments stand.

‘‘I’ve got a prepared sentence in my mind and it involves going to jail for everybody,’’ Fulton County Judge Jerry Baxter warned, adding, ‘‘I don’t think you want to go my way. Either it’s my way or a negotiated plea.’’

Sentencing is expected when court resumes Tuesday.

Baxter heard from character witnesses for 10 of the 11 defendants convicted this month of racketeering for their roles in a scheme to inflate students’ scores on standardized exams.

The witnesses pleaded for mercy and described the former educators’ passion for teaching and dedication to their students, which often extended to devoting their personal time and money to help.

The 11th former educator who was convicted was pregnant when the jury reached its verdict and gave birth over the weekend. She is set to be sentenced later.

Baxter listened carefully, often asking questions, and said repeatedly that although he did not doubt the former educators’ commitment and teaching ability, he believed they had made bad decisions.

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I didn't realize they were all black.

"Jail for 9 of 10 ex-educators in Atlanta test-cheating case" Associated Press  April 14, 2015

ATLANTA — All but one of 10 former Atlanta public school educators convicted in a widespread conspiracy to inflate student scores on standardized tests were sentenced to jail time Tuesday.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter had delayed sentencing by a day and encouraged all to negotiate deals with prosecutors, but only two agreed to deals.

He white?

The remaining eight received harsher sentences, ranging from one to seven years in jail.

During sentencing, Baxter called the cheating ‘‘pervasive.’’

‘‘It’s like the sickest thing that’s ever happened in this town,’’ he said.

Really? No child sex abuse or murder cases? I seem to remember a few back when. 

But this is the worst, huh? 

I guess Atlanta isn't home to lying ma$$ media TV news netwo.... oh, right, CNN is headquartered there. I suppose there are no banks or war-profiteering war firms in Georgi.... wait a minute, that's not right either. No jail for any of them.

A state investigation found that as far back as 2005, educators from the 50,000-student Atlanta school system fed answers to students or erased and changed answers on tests after they were turned in. Evidence of cheating was found in 44 schools with nearly 180 educators involved, and teachers who tried to report it were threatened with retaliation.

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