Thursday, June 23, 2011

When Schools Cheat

Atlanta Public School Official Ordered Subordinates to Destroy Evidence of Cheating on Standardized Tests
Superintendent Beverly Hall ordered the destruction of investigative documents that detailed “systematic” cheating on standardized tests in the Atlanta Public Schools, according to a former high-ranking district official.

Hall also instructed subordinates to omit “adverse findings” from a new version of the report and then publicly cited the revised document in an aggressive rebuttal of the cheating allegations, the former official says.

When she protested, the former official says, her supervisor said the district had the right to “sanitize” the investigation and that “the matter was closed” because Hall “had directed that all other documents be destroyed.”

Destroying or altering government records is a felony in Georgia, carrying a prison sentence of as much as 10 years.
When teachers and administrators careers are won and lost according to how well students perform on standardized tests, the temptation to cheat is strong.  A few people will always yield to that temptation, especially if they believe the chances of getting caught are small.

It sets a wonderful example for the kids...

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