Posted on 06/03/2012 4:23:24 PM PDT by Libloather
Tribunals fire two in APS cheating cases
By Jaime Sarrio
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
6:51 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Idalina Couto's blemish-free teaching career with Atlanta Public Schools ended after 20 years Tuesday when a panel of educators upheld a decision to fire her for breaking testing procedure and failing to report cheating.
A decision to fire a second teacher, Vanessa Jackson, was also upheld, bringing to seven the number of educators terminated as a result of cheating allegations.
Couto, a third grade teacher at Jones Elementary, allegedly told GBI agents she prompted students to reread incorrect questions on 2009 state exams. Agent Eugene Howard testified Tuesday that Couto also admitted to rewording or explaining questions that students couldn't understand, both testing violations under APS and state guidelines.
**SNIP**
Where they stand now
About 80 employees -- teachers and administrators -- suspected of cheating remain on the Atlanta Public Schools payroll. They can make their case to keep their jobs before an APS tribunal. Once the hearings are held and terminations recommended, the decision goes to the school board. If the action is approved by the board, the employees are terminated immediately, regardless of their intent to appeal.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
Out they go — ALL of them. You can also bet that the rot does NOT stop with the ones they have named in this cheating scandal. It goes much, much deeper and it is entrenched. Take that to the bank.
Once you created a mechanism where testing meant a teacher, or a principal’s job was on the line....or that a school was identified as “incompetent”...you pretty much created an open door for cheating. You could be the best teacher in the district, with the dumbest bunch of kids bundled into one particular group, and your entire future is wrapped around the axle because you can’t drag these kids across some line of satisfaction, unless some associate teams up with you for the element of cheating.
Even if they are fired from the Atlanta School system, they will probably retain their teaching licenses .... so, coming to a school near you will be teachers who will have their union force their hire. Background checks and cause of termination will be barred by state personnel rules and union contracts.
Atlanta Public Schools needs a Scott Walker as Superintendent, but I just imagine he’d be the wrong color.
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