Atl cheating teachers, shame on you, yes – but that sentence? Once again, U can do bad shit in America, just don't try it while you're black
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) April 15, 2015
Eight of 10 former Atlanta public school educators were sentenced to jail time Tuesday after only two took advantage of an extra day to negotiate deals with prosecutors. CBS News reports that one former teacher was given one year of home confinement, and a former testing coordinator will spend six months of weekends in jail as a result of the cheating scandal, which Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter called “like the sickest thing that’s ever happened in this town.”
CBS reports:
A state investigation found that as far back as 2005, educators from the 50,000-student Atlanta school system fed answers to students or erased and changed answers on tests after they were turned in. Evidence of cheating was found in 44 schools with nearly 180 educators involved, and teachers who tried to report it were threatened with retaliation.
…
In 2013, 35 educators were indicted on charges including racketeering, making false statements and theft. Many pleaded guilty before the trial, and some testified at the months-long trial. The jury acquitted one of the 12 former educators who went to trial and convicted the other 11 of racketeering.
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These are the 8 former educators, sentenced to prison today on racketeering charges in #Atlanta cheating scandal pic.twitter.com/O3oXgwVXQl
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) April 15, 2015
Former #Atlanta educators sentenced in one of the nation's biggest school cheating scandals http://t.co/9L6kVA11Of pic.twitter.com/pvmiL4R4WY
— The Root (@TheRoot) April 14, 2015
It wasn’t long before a protest/prayer vigil was set up in front of the courthouse.
Small prayer vigil underway in front of Fulton Co Courthouse for convicted APS educators. #fox5atl pic.twitter.com/68wi03VPqN
— Portia Bruner (@PortiaFOX5) April 14, 2015
HAPPENING NOW: protesters are assembling in front of the Fulton Co Courthouse #fox5atl pic.twitter.com/7hT3pGw4tW
— matt stringer (@stringerFOX5) April 14, 2015
Outside Fulton Co courthouse. pic.twitter.com/k4kreFe8Et
— Richard Fausset (@RichardFausset) April 13, 2015
really sorry for harsh sentencing #AtlantaTeachers b/c they were pawns in a system that just cares abt test scores #education
— Sarah Newman (@NeeshNoosh) April 15, 2015
While I'm happy that the teachers in Atlanta are being given a more humane sentence, the entire ordeal is ridiculous and unfair.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) April 14, 2015
I just don't feel like Atlanta teachers should be facing up to 20 years for changing grades.. meanwhile white cops committing murders free
— livibabyy (@LiViBADD88) April 13, 2015
The #jailing of #Black #teachers in #Atlanta is one of many outrageously #racist events of 2015 http://t.co/8OnNfwqKmq #BlackLivesMatter
— Education TodayKPFA (@Educate2day941) April 14, 2015
There goes the prison bus.
Prisoner transport just left Fulton Co Courthouse. #fox5atl pic.twitter.com/fwcMemIQSH
— matt stringer (@stringerFOX5) April 14, 2015
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