APS Test-Cheating Case: First Principal Pleads Guilty

By Patch Editor Bob Pepalis

The number of former educators who have entered guilty pleas in the Atlanta Public Schools' (APS) test-cheating case has reached eight after a principal and a teacher appeared before a judge on Thursday.

Armstead Salters, who served as principal of Gideons Elementary School for 29 years, and Wendy Ahmed, a former teacher at Humphries Elementary School in southeast Atlanta, both pleaded guilty on Dec. 19.

Salters is the first of six indicted principals to admit guilt, according to District Attorney Paul Howard's office.

“As a seasoned administrator and educator for almost 50 years, I always tried to place the interest of the children first. In this instance, I placed the concern of the school administration for test results and test scores above the interest of the children,” Salters said in a release provided by the DA's office.

He pleaded guilty to a single felony count of false statements and writings during plea proceedings before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter Thursday afternoon.

During her plea proceedings later Thursday afternoon before Judge Jerry Baxter, Ahmed pleaded guilty to a single obstruction charge.

Salters Sentence: Probation, Community Service $2K Restitution

Under the terms of his plea agreement, Salters was sentenced to two years on probation, ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community service and pay $2,000.00 in restitution for the bonus money he received. The DA's office sad most importantly, Salters is required to provide truthful testimony at trial. Prosecutors say they believe Salters’ testimony is critical because of his administrative role and his knowledge of directives from APS executives that promoted a culture of cheating.

Salters, who began his career with APS as a science teacher in 1966, was appointed to Gideons as principal in 1981 and served until 2010. The charges against him date back to 2005 through 2009 when he provided teachers with improper access to completed CRCT answer sheets so they could change incorrect responses.

Salters also admits falsifying CRCT certification forms “knowing that my actions would contribute to the school system fraudulently reaching the unrealistic and unreasonable targets established by Defendant Beverly Hall and her administration.”

He also withheld information from the GBI regarding his participation and that of his subordinates in cheating activities. Salters received a $2,000 bonus for his students’ ‘achievement.’ Salters said the culture of cheating at Gideons emerged as a result of unrelenting pressure from APS senior administration.

Ahmed Gets Probation, Community Service, Must Pay Restitution

The charges against Ahmed date back to 2009 when she was employed as a science teacher at Humphries. Ahmed initially denied the allegations against her but now admits verbally providing answers and assistance to several students during the CRCT. She says she cheated because of tremendous pressure placed upon her by her school principal to meet academic targets that were tied to bonuses and incentives for the school district.

Under the terms of her plea agreement, Ahmed was sentenced to one year on probation, ordered to perform 250 hours of community service and pay restitution in the amount of $500 for bonus money she received.

Ahmed’s former teaching colleagues Lisa Terry and Ingrid Abella-Sly also pleaded guilty in connection with the case.

A Jan. 6 deadline has been set by Baxter for defendants to strike a deal with prosecutors.

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