Atlanta Cheating Scandal Teachers Blame Testing! (Online Standardized Testing is the fix?)

Gather ^ | 7/11/11 | Jaymie Pierce

[Libloather]

Atlanta Cheating Scandal Teachers Blame Testing!
by Jaymie Pierce
July 11, 2011 06:55 PM EDT

Teachers caught in the big Atlanta schools cheating scandal complain about the pressure of achieving scores and targets from administrations in the school districts. Furthermore, they are attesting that it is the fault of the "No Child Left Behind Act." The Atlanta Journal reported today that the findings from the investigations gave three primary areas for the wide-spread cheating.

The report indicates that all schools would be considered failing under the "No Child Left Behind Act" expecting 100% proficiency. The stern actions of sanctions against teachers and principals keep them in fear of job loss. However, the teachers and principals are to take responsibility and expect to offer students the ability to gain perfect proficiency in common learning areas such as reading, writing and math? This excuse is sadly the result of educators that are not interested in education but in the paycheck and summer holiday. Too many excellent teachers get a bad reputation falling into the same class as teachers and principals that find it necessary to cheat instead of teach.

The article in the Atlanta Journal goes on to say, "Georgia and other states, as well as the federal administration and Congress, should treat the Atlanta scandal as a national warning call. Assessment and accountability policies much be overhauled to promote genuine educational quality, not just easily manipulated test scores."

[PapaBear3625]

Standardized tests need to either be proctored by outsiders, or teachers from completely different districts get bussed in randomly on test day.

[Liz]

GOOD POINTS, VETTE: Good old Beverly Hall...another tax-sucking “Migrant Worker” subsidized by taxpayers. In sap-happy liberal San Francisco, they kicked out a Black female Supt for shady financial dealings AND for failed leadership……. and she was off to another sanctuary city where it actually took the suckers months to realize they had made a mistake. The airheads hiring these losers are also products of affirmative action.......graduated and degree'd solely by cheating.....they can’t read and their critical thinking skills are non-existent.

[goldi]

My niece is taking her nursing boards today online.

[goldi]

Not to mention stupid zero tolerance rules that can mess up your kid’s life forever.

If there is ever a reason to pull your kids out, that’s the one.

[Liz]

My daughter-in-law teaches 6th grade Science in Houston County, GA......supposed to be one of the better districts. She said it is impossible in GA to teach for the test because the test is locked up tighter than a drum each year. No study guides or anything to indicate which areas a teacher should concentrate.

WASH/POST ---- JULY 2011 EDITION

EXCERPT “Damany Lewis was the first Atlanta teacher to assist Atlanta Principal Waller in cheating. He admitted to cheating in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2006, Waller asked Lewis, ‘Do you think you could get into something undetected?’ Lewis was not sure what Waller meant, but said yes.

A few days later, Lewis was summoned to the main office where he found Atlanta Principal Waller and [Success for All Facilitator] Sandra Ward with the CRCT booklets. Principal Waller looked at Lewis and then immediately looked at the test booklets. Lewis then knew what Atlanta Principal Waller was asking him to ‘get into undetected’ — the test booklets. Lewis found a key in his desk drawer that opened the room where the tests were kept.

Lewis used a razor blade to open the plastic wrapping around the test booklets, copied the test for each grade, and resealed the wrapping using a lighter to melt the plastic. Once Lewis copied the booklets, he placed a copy of the social studies test in [Atlanta teacher] Damien Northern’s car and a copy of the reading and language arts test in [Atlanta teacher] Dorothea Wilson’s car.’

Teacher “Latasha Smiley admits to cheating in 2009 [at Parks Middle School]. Francesa Thompson-Flagle, a PEC teacher, gave Smiley a copy of the 2009 CRCT. The copy was difficult to read. Later that day, Gregory Reid told Smiley that Damany Lewis had a ‘gift’ for her. Smiley found a manila envelope containing a legible copy of the tests on her desk. During the test, Smiley improperly gave students the correct answers. “One afternoon, Lewis told Smiley to come with him. They went to [Testing Coordinator Alfred] Kiel’s office and Smiley erased answers with the other teachers in the room.

After the testing period was complete, Lewis came to Smiley’s classroom and told her to come with him.

They went together to Kiel’s office where Lewis took pictures of the room so that he could place everything back in its original place after they changed the tests.

Smiley erased answers with the other teachers in the room. “Principal Waller told Smiley to let him know if anyone contacted her regarding this investigation.”

SOURCE http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/shocking-details-of-atlanta-cheating-scandal/2011/07/06/gIQAQPhY2H_blog.html

[blam]

Just wait now, "No-one ever told me that cheating was wrong."

[Liz]

The Desoto, TX ISD just hired this Atlanta loser, and they are wringing their hands over what to do about the fact she is a crook.

Former Atlanta deputy superintendent's new job in doubt
WTVM | 7/25/11 | Christopher King
FR Posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 by Libloather

(CBS ATLANTA--Excerpt) Read more at wtvm.com) - The former deputy superintendent of Atlanta's public schools will find out Monday whether she gets to keep her new job. The Desoto Independent School District, in a suburb of Dallas, TX, is scheduled to vote on whether to keep Kathy Augustine as its new school chief. The board selected Augustine as Supt last spring.

Her job is now in doubt following revelations that she is a key figure in the investigation stemming from allegations of widespread cheating in Atlanta public schools.

Georgia investigators have accused Augustine of being one of the top administrators to cover up cheating. One hundred and eighty teachers and principals are also accused.

Sandra Wheeler, a member of that board, was angry. "We should've been notified about that right up front." Wheeler said. "If I'm going to interview someone who's under investigation, that should've been told to us before we even got to her."

(MEMO TO SANDRA: The fact that Augustine did not tell you is a Really Really Big Clue----you got yourself a practiced con artist there, sweetheart.)

Deputy Super Kathy Augustine.

[Old Student]

“Starting by fifth grade, and with increasing intensity up through high school, LOTS of children begin failing to keep up.”

Starting by fifth grade? How about kindergarten?

Probably the worst thing modern educators do is to expect every child of a specific age to be able to do what every other child of that age does. It does not work that way. Each child is different, based on genetic and environmental factors. What works just fine on one child may not work at all on another, and only partially on a third.

I was a brand new baby teacher in 2005, and my teaching career is already over in 2011, but I did learn a few things. Kids are different, and teachers mostly don’t get that. They’re not supposed to get that.

OS

[Liz]

Suspected cheater, Dr Beverly Hall was named "2009 Superintendent of the Year" by the American Association of School Administrators for "increasing Atlanta district's test scores and graduation rates."

Hall She was honored by the American Association of School Administrators at the time wholesale cheating was going on under her watch.

Why did the American Association of School Administrators honor Beverly Hall---a big-time calculated liar and con artist who is a walking crime wave? They must have known that years earlier, $73 million was missing from the Newark NJ school district Hall headed.

===============================================

Activities of the American Association of School Administrators should be ruthlessly scrutinized. They apparently aid and abet educator wrongdoing---posing as a legit organization. Appears their MO is "to credential" crooked educators --- credentials that are then used to demand higher salaries, perks, and responsibility (access to tax funds).

FBI TIP PAGE http://tips.fbi.gov/ (you may remain anonymous)

Report US Postal Fraud: MAIL PAGE https://postalinspectors.USPIS.gov

REPORT ILLEGAL CONVERSIONS OF TAX-EXEMPT EDUCATION BOND REVENUE Enforcement@SEC.gov

IRS TOLL-FREE 1-800-829-0433----you may remain anonymous.

Contact the state prosecutor in Arlington, VA.

=========================================

American Association of School Administrators
801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 700
Arlington, VA 22203-1730
Phone 703-528-0700 • Fax 703-841-1543
EMAIL Info@aasa.org.

[RightField]

Damany Lewis was the first Atlanta teacher to assist Atlanta Principal Waller in cheating. He admitted to cheating in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2006, Waller asked Lewis, ‘Do you think you could get into something undetected?’ Lewis was not sure what Waller meant, but said yes.

I want to know why Waller picked Lewis to "get into something undetected." Why Lewis? What was it about him that made Waller choose him to break into the tests? There's more to this. Of course I have not followed the scandal daily, so maybe I missed something.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Perhaps I should amend my statement.

Those schools/districts in GA with INTEGRITY keep them locked up tighter than a honeymoon bride.

Those districts such as Atlanta keep them as loose as a five dollar whore.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Make that a five dollar crack ‘ho.

[Little Ray]

The “fill-in-the-bubble” test isn't that great of a measure anyway. Somewhere there needs to be a few essay questions, graded for grammar and accuracy.

[stephenjohnbanker]

A frind of mine is the former CFO of United Technologies. When he took over the helm, one of his first firings was a black gal who was head of Human Resources. She was an incompetent fool, and was hiring bad people. My friend fired her, and gave her a $60,000 severence check to “avoid potential litigation, and bad press”. He probably saved UT a couple million ;-)

[Liz]

Damany Lewis was the first Atlanta teacher to assist Atlanta Principal Waller in cheating. What was it about Lewis that made Waller choose him to break into the tests?

This is just a guess----but it looks to me like Lewis was a practiced conniver who got educator credentials (how?).

No honest person I know would have the crooked mindset and the skills to break into a test......and know how to reseal it.

[Liz]

Another “affirmative action” disaster for the company.

And yet we continue to “reward” bad behavior.

[Liz]

I am sure there are great teachers like your DIL...........who are kept totally in the dark that cheating is going on elsewhere.

They know good teachers like your DIL would not tolerate cheating and would blow the whistle on them.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Well, Ron got rid of a major problem for UT. By the way, in 3 years, he doubled the NOI, and retired a wealthy man

[stephenjohnbanker]

” Those districts such as Atlanta keep them as loose as a five dollar whore. “

Please.....leave the TOTUS out of this conversation!

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

I wouldn’t want to be in her class. Too much work! I would even have to (GASP!) do homework and study!