Process Of Firing "Cheaters" Begins Monday

By Charles Edwards

Atlanta, GA – A state investigation said 178 of Atlanta's teachers and principals cheated on the 2009 Criterion Referenced Competency Test. Officials don't know how many of them still work for the school system. The process of identifying and firing them will start on Monday.

The Atlanta School Board and interim Superintendent Erroll Davis spent hours Thursday discussing personnel matters. In other words, a lot of people could lose their jobs before the new school year starts early next month. Despite the tight deadline, Davis says APS will be ready come August 8th.

"It is our intent to fill all of the positions that do become vacant by the start of school," said Davis.

They'll fill those positions with new teachers and substitutes. Davis is a bit of a substitute himself. On Thursday, the school board decided to keep him for a year. That was the right decision according to Chairwoman Brenda Muhammad.

"I think this board believes that having this interim superintendent will help us with restoring our accreditation," said Muhammad.

To get off accredited probation, one of the things APS has to do is search and find a superintendent to replace Dr. Beverly Hall. The board decided to keep Davis for a year after it adopted his initial plan of action in response to the state investigation. Based on that investigation, Davis said the main problem is ethics.

"The first thing of course we'll look at is our ethics training," said Davis.

If you want to work for Atlanta's Public School system, Davis says you will have to take ethics training every year. He wants a new online training program in place just before the new school year in August. And if a teacher or employee is asked to act unethically, Davis wants them to fill out an anonymous survey.

"We want to know what our employees are thinking," said Davis. In particular, I want to know whether there is a climate of fear or intimidation."

However, teachers won't be the only ones getting training. Davis is calling for the state to train school employees who coordinate the CRCT. As for future results of that test, Davis says he wants to set realistic achievement goals. If future scores surpass those goals, that will trigger an investigation.

Those steps are focused on the future. But Davis says students who had their test answers changed need help now.

"I want to review the remediation plans that we have in place to address student deficiencies to make sure that those who have been cheated receive the remedial training that they do need," said Davis.

Other recommendations include changing which office handles ethical complaints. Davis said his plan is only the beginning. So far, the school board likes what it is hearing. By a vote of 6-0, with two members absent, the board unanimously adopted Davis' plan and the state's investigation.