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."

[Libloather]

Yep, it's the pencil's fault.

Is Online Standardized Testing the Key to Ending Cheating?

[exPBRrat]

You can bring a horse to water but you can force them to drink. Typical of the one size to fit all failure of big government.

Resources should be used to ID the intellectual ones capable of learning and shoehorn them into regents types programs.

Others should get a solid basic education with opportunities to learn trade skills such as sheet metal fabricating, welding plumbing, electricity etc.

One can earn a decent living as a tradesman but the great thinkers in education seem to think everyone needs a college education...that’s ridiculous.

[Sursam Abordine]

You mean the NCLB authored by Ted Kennedy had problems/issues? I’m shocked, shocked I say!

[SampleMan]

In the military, you generally don’t test your own unit. Who would had thought that putting the workers in charge of their merit pay test would go awry????

[9YearLurker]

I’m not sympathetic in the least with cheating teachers, but NCLB and the standard of 100% “proficiency” are dreadful ideas that should be repealed.

How proficient could a standard that 100% of our populate could me be? What are we doing with our federal government monkeying in and funding education at all?

[Liz]

Crooked educators cooking test scores were/are also extorting gargantuan salaries, benefits and pensions, annuities, six-figure bonuses, free cars/fillups/maintenance. And that includes all that they can steal.

Atlanta's Dr Beverly Hall is now under scrutiny for rampant, systematic cheating on test scores involved 44 Atlanta schools and 178 teachers and principals. Hall absconded to Atlanta after the Newark, NJ school district she headed had a $73 million shortage.

Here’s Dr Beverly Hall showing off her medal----named "2009 Superintendent of the Year" by the American Association of School Administrators for "increasing Atlanta district's test scores and graduation rates."

Some observers say Beverly Hall is a big-time calculated liar and con artist......a walking crime wave. One observer claimed that, for public consumption, Hall puts on a sweet, sap-happy "Grandma’s Baking Sugar Cookies" act but behind the scenes she’s a ruthless, savage hag, dropping victims left and right like an armed fascist dictator.

Her activities in the state of NJ (before she absconded to GA) need to be exposed.....and prosecuted when warranted.....including the $73 million education budget item that disappeared under her watch.

You have to wonder how Hall ever got educator credentials. Is her doctorate legit? All of her CV should be rigorously scrutinized.....together with all official documents under her signature (falsifying govt documents is a felony).

[hal ogen]

Everyone should be cautious around anyone who refers to them self as an “educator”. Hold onto your wallets and watch your children.

[FreedomPoster]

They may say you’re a dreamer - but you’re not the only one.

Oh, and I’m sure you’re a racist for suggesting all that. As am I for agreeing with you.

[jimfree]

The answers are NO testing or independent testing. The teachers cannot be involved. I remember 50 years ago assembling in the cafetorium for standardized testing (Iowa test?).

[The Cajun]

Now that is interesting!

The New Orleans superintendent who was at the helm when 75 million turned up unaccounted for also absconded to Atlanta.

Can't remember his name, was some time ago, but his father was a janitor in the school system who made over $100,000 a year in *overtime* on average.

[Jim Noble]

Atlanta Cheating Scandal Teachers Blame Testing!

Yes, and they are absolutely correct.

It is an absurd, and easily falsified concept, that "no child" will be "left behind".

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

This has nothing to do with teachers, and nothing to do with money.

It is because children are all different, they are born with different abilities, different aptitudes, and they develop different interests.

It is one thing to say, "society should organize and pay for schools that maximize the number of students finishing 12th grade", it is another thing all together to say, "if ALL students, black and white, don't finish twelfth grade, it is the system's fault and people will be punished".

The latter is now national policy (thanks, W), and since it is based on a lie, it will continue to engender more and more lies until either the policy falls or public education collapses altogether.

[hopespringseternal]

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

Ironically, her defense is that she isn't a crook, but incompetent. (She says she knew nothing about it.) That makes it all ok. /s

We homeschool, and I am starting to see people I never thought would do it pull their kids out of public school. The incompetence and corruption is making many public schools the last place you want to put your kid.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

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

No they didn't. Beverly Hall retired. You are thinking of Kathy Augustine, who was Beverly's assistant.

[mbynack]

No matter how they test, there will be a way to cheat. Who is going to verify that the person taking the on-line test is the student or someone else? I took a lot of on-line courses for college and there was always someone bragging about how they cheated. It can be as simple as using a calculator when they’re not allowed, using notes, having the text book open, or having someone else take the test for you.

[11johara28]

“It is an absurd, and easily falsified concept, that “no child” will be “left behind”. “

Does this mean that all students are passed on to the next year, even if they are not prepared?

I had to repeat fourth grade, and I and my parents really didn’t think of it as a big deal.

I was never a great student,but I ended up graduating from college and was able to get a job and support myself.

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

"The latter is now national policy and since it is based on a lie, it will continue to engender more and more lies until either the policy falls or public education collapses altogether."

Isn't that what the goal of the public system has really become? To collapse it altogether. The ruling elite send their kids to private schools. To them, the public schools are to create good little dumb workers who can't read or think for themselves.

But they can't allow the public to see that this is their goal, so they blame the teachers when students test with low scores. I know there are some lazy incompetent teachers out there and the Atlanta school system has more than it's share because better teachers can usually work their way up to assignments in the more sought-after suburban counties. And I certainly am not excusing the cheating, but......
The truth is that it is not always the teacher's fault if 100% of the students can't perform. Let's say you are a 5th grade teacher and you taught all the curriculum perfectly. There will still be a certain percentage of your classroom who, through no fault of yours, has never learned to read and write but has been passed up the grade levels because after all no child can be left behind. There will even be a certain percentage of students who are malnourished and sleepy, maybe even on drugs and can't stay focused in class (terrible home life conditions are rampant in the Atlanta system). No matter how good a teacher you are, those students won't learn and won't perform on the test.

[vette6387]

Good old Beverly is just another one of the nation’s most expensive “Migrant Workers.” It’s a national scandal that “administrators” like this old crook do in a school district while making exorbitant salaries, are forced to leave for some sort of malfeasance in office, but are able to take a substantial “buy out” in their employment contracts, and be rehired by another district ( eager to get their wealth of knowledge and expertise) as fast as an airliner can get get them there. Here in San Francisco, they kicked out another Black female superintendent for some shady financial dealings coupled with failed leadership, and she was off to Pittsburgh ( as I recall) where it only took a few months on the job for those folks to realize that they had made a mistake too. You just have to wonder about those we elect to our school boards. Evidently they are not very well educated, that is to say they can’t seem to read resumes very well.

[vanilla swirl]

You are correct. NCLB was one Bush mistake. I have said for a long time that not everybody can attain the same education level. NCLB tries to force that. One hundred years ago not everybody made it through grade school. Some dropped out work on a farm or factory. My wife is a teacher with a Masters degree and one year from retirement. (I only have a 2 year tech degree from years ago and we earn about the same money). She is not in a position to administer these tests. The schools are under tremendous pressure to bring up the scores with the results of failure being having the state take over the school. There is no consequence for the child because can’t leave him behind, it might damage his self esteem! There is a tremendous lack of discipline, you can’t kick kids out because they will lose fed money. The tests are already dumbed down to the point of uselessness.

[frithguild]

it is the fault of the "No Child Left Behind Act."

It's Bush's fault!

You people are slow this morning.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

My daughter-in-law teaches 6th grade Science in Houston (pronounced HOUSEton)County, GA. It is supposed to be one of the better districts in GA and she is a tough teacher.

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.

It makes sense they want an online testing system. They would then be able to teach for the test.

The good teachers and better districts might not like it. But THEY DO IT.

The AJC advocates lowering the standards for teachers and students,treating all teachers and students as failures. Yeah, that will work. It will keep them fat, happy and stupid, less likely to leave the plantation.

[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!

[RightField]

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

That's what I was thinking. But how did the principal know? Whoever interviewed or vetted Lewis for his job or credential must have had his conniving tendencies in mind, and hired Lewis as a potential tool in the cheating scheme. It would be interesting to know when Lewis was first hired, or when he first worked under that principal.

[Liz]

I’m sure these two had each other scoped out from day one.
Con artists are very adept at knowing who-—and who not to-—con.

[Liz]

Five dollar whore----why does that bring up an ugly picture?

[stephenjohnbanker]

ROTF!!

[Condor51]

It's because of people like the esteemed '2009 Superintendent of the Year, Dr Beverly Hall (Doctor my butt) and the big city (cough-BS) 'teachers' in Atlanta why our youngest daughter (B.S.Ed from ISU) will NOT apply for a Teaching position in Chicago. Plus due to the the racist thugs in the Chicago Teachers Union.

She's Certified by the State of IL to teach grades K-9 and could easily get a teaching job in Chicago. But she'd rather stay were she is, working as a TA (for a lot less money and benefits) with Special Needs kids in a small suburban school district. As that School District actually cares about Teaching, the children learning, and the parents are involved with and care about their child's progress.

All this summer she's been Tutoring one Special Needs child she worked with the last school year. The mom approached her last spring and almost begged her to please tutor her child through the summer.

That would never happen in ANY big city school or district. Be it Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, Lost Angeles or anywhere in the USA.

[Liz]

You raised yourself a jewel of a daughter..........and gave the profession an exemplary teacher.