APS Superintendent says System Will Move Beyond Cheating Scandal

Dozens of former Atlanta Public Schools educators turned themselves in to face racketeering and other charges last week in a probe of alleged cheating on state standardized tests.

In the attached video statement by Superintendent Errol Davis, he says that APS is going to "improve internal safeguards related to test materials," and that, he supports the "more than 95% of our employees who were not implicated in the scandal."

Community members and parents have had tough words for the indicted teachers and administrators.  During the Atlanta Board of Education's meeting on Monday, board members heard from several people who shared their thoughts on the test cheating scandal:

Community Member:  I will remember that Mr. Sam Williams [Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce President] and the people in the community supported the former superintendent.  He and they should be in jail too, not just Ms. Hall, not just the teachers, but ya’ll too (the Board).  How could you sit here and watch the apple barrel get empty in front of your face and say nothing.  When is Ms. Hall going to turn herself in and when are you going to resign. All of you should be tossed, all of you should resign, how you can sit here and rule over this school system is sickening to me.

Community Member:  (yells) Yes! For the Kids, we got an indictment!  But the culture still exists, children can’t read.  I can say, our kids have been vindicated.  These kids have feelings.  Let’s put a moratorium on that test this year.  How dare you put anything in front of those kids that say CRCT.  Kennedy Middle was one of the worst cheating schools in the country and you don’t give them the chance to mend before you ship them to Brown.  There is a parent who says her child gets off the bus, jumps the fence and sleeps on the porch all day to get away from the chaos in the school.

APS Parent:  I have 4 kids in the APS system.  I would like to know what measures will be in place that will assure our parents in APS that this will not occur in the future?  You think our kids are in the 21st century learning, but our kids are really in 19th century learning.  More technology needs to be available.  Your schools on the south side do not have apple computers, i-pads, cameras.  I believe that SPLOST money could be used for this technology.  SPLOST money is not being built on the south side.  Things over there are not being built.

See Also
More than a Dozen East Atlanta Area Educators Indicted in APS Test Cheating Scandal