The Nation’s Biggest Cheating Scandal A Year Later, Questions Still Remain

It was rumored the report would be bad.

Governor Nathan Deal stood stone-faced as he gave an overview.

“In a statewide erasure analysis when compared to all other test takers in the state, the Atlanta Public School system test results demonstrated a pattern of wrong to right changes evidencing that these changes did not occur in a valid testing environment.”

Inside the state capitol, standing before local and national media Gov. Deal chastised educators and administrator for failing APS students.

“When test results are falsified and students who have not mastered the necessary material are promoted, our students are harmed, parents lose sight of their child’s true progress and taxpayers are cheated,” said Deal.

Reaction to the report was unanimous among a law makers and members of the Atlanta Board of Education.

Then APS board chair Brenda Muhammad in a dejected tone told reporters, “it’s our children and you just don’t cheat children.”

By this time, Dr. Beverly Hall was no longer superintendent.

After eleven years Hall chose not to renew her contract.

The highly regarded educator found herself at the center of the scandal.

Dr. Hall was once named the national superintendent of the year.

On the day Gov. Deal called a black cloud over the district, State Democrat Senator Vincent Fort talked about Hall’s achievement.

Senator Fort told WABE, “it’s tainted, it’s tainted and at this point if what we are hearing is true she ought to consider returning that.”

A few days later, Dr. Hall released a statement apologizing to the people of Atlanta and their children for any shortcomings.

Investigators appointed by Governor Nathan Deal had spent nearly a year probing into the district.

As a follow-up, Deal promised action by local district attorneys.

“When educators have failed to uphold the public trust and students are harmed in the process, there will be consequences.”

Now a year later, APS has made changes in testing procedures.

The system is still trying to get rid of those involved in the cheating.

No one has been criminally charged.

Some educators retired, some were fired and some even reinstated?

Right now nearly 30 are on administrative leave.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard’s office is still investigating.

But at this point says WABE legal analyst Page Pate, it’s unlikely anyone will be charged.

“They usually try to get the cooperation and assistance of the folks who were further down the line but there’s plenty of time to do that. I don’t see anything from Mr. Howard’s office, anything from APS, anything from anyone to suggest that there’s going to be a criminal case.”

In the state’s report, investigators revealed some teachers referred to working in APS as a culture of fear and intimidation.

This allegedly came from pressure by then superintendent Dr. Beverly Hall and regional administrators.

It eventually trickled down to principals.

Legal analyst Page Pate says it will be hard for authorities to prove those allegations.

“So unless they can show that a supervisor, a principal or Dr. Hall was number one aware of what was going on and number two did something to either help it continue to go on or covered it up in some way; then they have the possibility of pursing that person for a criminal offense.”

Through her attorney, Dr. Hall declined to be interviewed.

Under current school chief Errol Davis, APS has restructured its administrative organization.

Also schools are now aligned into clusters and the district is overhauling its curriculum base.

The Atlanta Board of Education will soon need to hire another superintendent.

As for who’s primarily at fault for the cheating?

Page Pate says neither the authorities, the public nor the district may ever know.