Furious judge sentences 9 of 10 ex-educators in Atlanta test-cheating case to jail for what he calls 'the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town'
Read more: http://www.caribbeanfevercommunity....chers-in-cuffs-11-face-up-to-20#ixzz3XT8Jq59G
Judge Jerry Baxter called the cheating scandal 'the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town' as he sentenced the teachers on Tuesday
All but one of the 10 former Atlanta public school educators were sentenced to jail time
The judge had encouraged all of the accused to negotiate deals, but only two agreed and received lighter sentences
The remaining eight received harsher sentences, ranging from one to seven years in jail
All but one of 10 former Atlanta public school educators convicted in a widespread conspiracy to inflate student scores on standardized tests were sentenced to jail time on Tuesday, as the judge called the cheating scandal 'the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town.'
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter had delayed sentencing by a day and encouraged all to negotiate deals with prosecutors. But only two agreed to deals.
In both those cases, Baxter followed the state's recommendations: He gave a former teacher a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew at home for one year and a former testing coordinator six months of weekends spent in jail. They'll also serve five years on probation.
Scroll down for video
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter describes how the three former SRT directors were at the top of the chain during sentencing on Tuesday in Atlanta. He called the cheating scandal 'the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town'
Defense attorney Angela Johnson holds her hand on her client, former Atlanta public school teacher Pamela Cleveland. She was the only one of the accused to avoid jail after she took a plea deal and was sentenced to 5 years, with 1 year of home confinement and curfew
Despite their lawyers' pleas for probation and community service, the remaining eight received harsher sentences, ranging from one to seven years in jail. They are expected to appeal and will be free on bond while the appeals are pending.
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.
'This was very, very remarkable, to have the judge sort of give the defendants a second chance,' said University of Georgia law professor emeritus Ron Carlson.
'The thing that maybe was a little surprising was the reticence of the defendants to step forward and do that.'
Read more: http://www.caribbeanfevercommunity....chers-in-cuffs-11-face-up-to-20#ixzz3XT7t9zbs
Former testing coordinator Donald Bullock was one of only two accused to took a plea deal. He was sentenced to 5 years probation, 6 months of weekends in jail, a $5000 fine and 1500 hours of community service
Former Atlanta public school teacher Angela Williamson was sentenced to two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine
Bob Rubin, who represented former elementary school principal Dana Evans, said the decision to turn down the deal wasn't hard for his client.
'She couldn't say something that wasn't true,' he said, referring to the insistence by the prosecution and the judge that the negotiated deals include an acceptance of responsibility.
Those who took the deals — former teacher Pamela Cleveland and former testing coordinator Donald Bullock — waived their right to appeal. They also agreed to accept responsibility, reading aloud a statement apologizing to students, parents and the court.
Hurl Taylor, Bullock's lawyer, said his client is relieved and wants to move on with his life.
'He's a man of God and he knows that sometimes to be a man of God you have to humble yourself,' Taylor said.
Baxter eventually agreed to let all the defendants qualify for first-offender status, after initially denying it for some. That means their records can be wiped clean once they've completed their sentences.
Former Atlanta public school SRT Directors Sharon Davis Williams, left, and Tamara Cotman, right, were both sentenced to seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine
Atlanta Public school educator Tabeeka Jordan, left, was sentenced to two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine
Atlanta Public school educator Tabeeka Jordan, left, was sentenced to two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine
Misconduct by educators rarely ends up in criminal court, and the fact that so many of them received jail time sends a strong message, Carlson said.
'These sentences will send shockwaves through the world of education,' he said, adding that he believes it will be nearly impossible going forward for an administrator to pressure a teacher to cheat.
When sentencing those who didn't take a deal, Baxter reserved the harshest punishment for three regional directors who oversaw multiple schools and were 'at the very top of this scandal.'
For them, Baxter went above prosecutors' recommendations of three years imprisonment. He ordered them to serve seven years in prison with the remainder of a 20-year sentence on probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine.
During sentencing, Baxter called the cheating 'pervasive.'
'It's like the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town,' he said.
Former Atlanta public school SRT Director Michael Pitts was sentenced to seven years on Tuesday, while Diane Buckner-Webb received a one year jail term
Former Superintendent Beverly Hall was among those indicted, but she did not stand trial because her lawyers argued successfully that she was too sick. She died last month from complications of breast cancer.
The 11th convicted former educator had a baby over the weekend and will be sentenced later.
District Attorney Paul Howard told reporters after sentencing that his goal all along was to get the community to pay attention to what happened in Atlanta schools and to make sure the affected children get some relief.
'We believe the loss that we suffered was a community loss,' Howard said.
He said his office is in talks to create the Atlanta Redemption Academy, which he said will seek to identify and assess the students who were hurt by the cheating scandal and to provide solutions for them, including help getting a job or GED training or assistance getting into college.
Bernice King, daughter of slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., and Rev. Gerald Durley, a former administrator at Clark Atlanta University and the Morehouse School of Medicine, have been tapped to head the board of the planned academy, Howard said.
THE TEN EX-EDUCATORS SENTENCED ON TUESDAY AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY IN ATLANTA TEXT-CHEATING CASE
Tamara Cotman
Age: 44; Former School Reform Team executive director
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
SENTENCE: Seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine.
Sharon Davis-Williams
Age: 59; Former School Reform Team executive director
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings. Earlier charge of False Swearing DISMISSED.
SENTENCE: Seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine.
Michael Pitts
Age: 59; Former School Reform Team executive director
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of Influencing Witnesses.
SENTENCE: Seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine. Five years to serve concurrent on Influencing Witnesses conviction.
Angela Williamson
Age: 48; Former teacher at Dobbs Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of four counts of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: Two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine.
Tabeeka Jordan
Age: 43; Former assistant principal of Deerwood Academy
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of False Statements and Writings. NOT GUILTY of Theft by Taking.
SENTENCE: Two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine.
Dana Evans
Age: 48; Former principal of Dobbs Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of three counts of False Statements and Writings. GUILTY of one count of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: One year in prison, four years probation and 1,000 hours of community service.
Theresia Copeland
Age: 58; Former testing coordinator at Benteen Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of Theft by Taking. GUILTY of one count of False Statements and Writings. One count of False Statements and Writings DISMISSED.
SENTENCE: One year in prison, four years probation, 1,000 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
Diane Buckner-Webb
Age: 53; Former teacher at Dunbar Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: One year in prison, four years probation, 1,000 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
Donald Bullock
Age: 59; Former testing coordinator at B.E. Usher/Collier Heights Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of one count of False Statements and Writings. GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings. GUILTY of False Swearing.
SENTENCE: Chose to take a plea deal before his sentencing, including six months of weekends in jail, a $5,000 fine, five years of probation, 1,500 hours of community service and an apology.
Pamela Cleveland
Age: 55; Former teacher at Dunbar Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: Took the plea deal on the day of sentencing and issued an apology. Sentenced to five years of probation with one year of home confinement, 1,000 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
teachers
The teachers, testing coordinators and other administrators were convicted Wednesday of racketeering
A racketeering charge could carry up to 20 years in prison and most of the defendants will be sentenced on April 8
The cheating came to light after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2008 that some student's scores were statistically improbable
Prosecutors said that the educators were motivated by the pressure to meet federal and local standards and to receive bonuses
A group of eleven Atlanta teachers have been convicted of cheating in a wide-scale operation which led them to inflate scores on students' standardized tests.
The defendants, including teachers, testing coordinators, and other administrators were convicted Wednesday of racketeering for their role in a wide-ranging conspiracy on students' standardized tests.
They will all be sentenced on April 8 and could face up to 20 years in prison for the racketeering charges.
Convicted: Donald Bullock, left, former Atlanta Public Schools Usher-Collier Heights Elementary testing coordinator, is led to a holding cell after a jury found him guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Cheating: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Tamara Cotman, center, is led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty in the test-cheating trial
Jail: Former Deerwood Academy assistant principal Tabeeka Jordan is led to a holding cell after the verdict
They were motivated by pressure to meet federal and local standards to receive bonuses or keep their jobs in the Atlanta Public Schools district of about 50,000 students, according to prosecutors.
And, only one teacher, Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Dessa Curb, was acquitted of all charges,
The case stems from an investigation carried out in 2011, which uncovered evidence that the educators gave answers to students or changed answers on tests after they were turned in.
Evidence of cheating was found in 44 schools with nearly 180 educators involved, and investigators found teachers who tried to report it faced retaliation.
The cheating is believed to date back to 2001, when scores on statewide skills tests began to turn around in the 50,000-student school district.
Between 2005 and 2009, test answers were altered and falsely certified, according to the 2013 indictment.
A grand jury indicted 35 educators in March 2013 on charges including racketeering, false statements and theft. Many reached plea agreements, and some testified at the trial.
However, Superintendent Beverly Hall never went to trial, successfully arguing she was too sick to mount a defense. She died last month of breast cancer.
Judge: Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter addresses the jury as he releases them from service after they found 11 former Atlanta Public Schools educators guilty of racketeering charges
Guilty: Defense attorney Robert Rubin, left, talks with his client, former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans, center, before she is led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty
Guilty: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Michael Pitts, right, listens as a jury finds him guilty
Emotion: Donald Bullock, left, former Atlanta Public Schools Usher-Collier Heights Elementary testing coordinator, reacts as a jury finds him guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Emotion: Donald Bullock, left, former Atlanta Public Schools Usher-Collier Heights Elementary testing coordinator, reacts as a jury finds him guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Hall insisted she was innocent and had no part in any cheating.
But, the educators said she was among those pressuring them to inflate students' scores to show gains in achievement — which were needed to meet federal benchmarks tied to extra funding.
Hall, who served as superintendent for more than a decade, which is rare for an urban schools chief was named Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators in 2009 and was credited with raising student test scores and graduation rates.
Former Benteen Elementary testing coordinator Theresia Copeland, center, is supported by her defense attorney Ryan Walsh, listens as a jury finds her guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta. Copeland and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators accused of participating in a test cheating conspiracy that drew nationwide attention were convicted Wednesday of racketeering charges. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kent D. Johnson, Pool)
Former Benteen Elementary testing coordinator Theresia Copeland, left, is supported by her defense attorney Ryan Walsh, listens as a jury finds her guilty and Former Dunbar Elementary teacher Diane Buckner-Webb, center, stands with her defense attorney Kevin Franks after a jury found her guilty
Guilty: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Sharon Davis Williams, left, and her defense attorney Teresa Mann stand as the verdict is read in the trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta
Guilty: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Sharon Davis Williams, left, and her defense attorney Teresa Mann stand as the verdict is read in the trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta
Former Deerwood Academy assistant principal Tabeeka Jordan, left, stands with her defense attorney Akil Secret after a jury found her guilty
Guilty: Former Deerwood Academy assistant principal Tabeeka Jordan, left, stands with her defense attorney Akil Secret after a jury found her guilty
Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Angela Williamson, left, and her defense attorney Gerald Griggs stand as a verdict is read in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta. Williamson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were accused of participating in test cheating
Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Angela Williamson, left, and her defense attorney Gerald Griggs stand as a verdict is read in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta. Williamson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were accused of participating in test cheating
In a video message to schools staff before she retired, Hall warned that the state investigation launched by former Gov. Sonny Perdue would likely reveal 'alarming' behavior.
Hall said: 'There is simply no excuse for unethical behavior and no room in this district for unethical conduct.'
Defense attorneys argued those convicted should remain free until sentencing because they don't have prior records, have community ties and showed up to trial every day.
Yet, only one was allowed to remain free on bond — teacher Shani Robinson — because she is expecting to give birth soon.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter said: 'They are convicted felons as far as I'm concerned. They have made their bed and they're going to have to lie in it.'
Overcome: Former Dunbar Elementary teacher Pamela Cleveland, second from right, gets a hug from her defense attorney Angela Johnson, right, as she led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty
Overcome: Former Dunbar Elementary teacher Pamela Cleveland, second from right, gets a hug from her defense attorney Angela Johnson, right, as she led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty
Distraught: Former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans, center right, hugs her defense attorney Robert Rubin after a jury found her guilty
Distraught: Former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans, center right, hugs her defense attorney Robert Rubin after a jury found her guilty
Verdict: Defense attorney Annette Greene reacts as the verdict is read for her client former Dunbar Elementary teacher Shani Robinson. Robinson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were convicted for their part in a test cheating conspiracy that drew nationwide attention
Verdict: Defense attorney Annette Greene reacts as the verdict is read for her client former Dunbar Elementary teacher Shani Robinson. Robinson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were convicted for their part in a test cheating conspiracy that drew nationwide attention
Prosecutors said the 12 former educators on trial were looking out for themselves, seeking bonuses for higher test scores rather than worrying about the education of their students.
Defense attorneys argued that their clients were caught up in an overly broad prosecution that overreached in charging them with violating racketeering laws most often used for organized crime.
The months-long trial began in August with more than six weeks of jury selection, and testimony concluded in late February.
The criminal investigation by the Fulton County district attorney's office lasted nearly two years.
It only came to light after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2008 that some test scores were statistically improbable.
Legal team: Fulton County Senior Assistant District Attorney Clint Rucker, right, hugs Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard after a jury reads a guilty verdict in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Legal team: Fulton County Senior Assistant District Attorney Clint Rucker, right, hugs Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard after a jury reads a guilty verdict in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Not guilty: Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Dessa Curb, left, with her attorney Sanford Wallack and her sister Aleesa Williams, leave the Fulton County Courthouse after a jury found her not guilty in the case
Read more: http://www.caribbeanfevercommunity....chers-in-cuffs-11-face-up-to-20#ixzz3XT5UnLuw
Read more: http://www.caribbeanfevercommunity....chers-in-cuffs-11-face-up-to-20#ixzz3XT8Jq59G
Judge Jerry Baxter called the cheating scandal 'the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town' as he sentenced the teachers on Tuesday
All but one of the 10 former Atlanta public school educators were sentenced to jail time
The judge had encouraged all of the accused to negotiate deals, but only two agreed and received lighter sentences
The remaining eight received harsher sentences, ranging from one to seven years in jail
All but one of 10 former Atlanta public school educators convicted in a widespread conspiracy to inflate student scores on standardized tests were sentenced to jail time on Tuesday, as the judge called the cheating scandal 'the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town.'
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter had delayed sentencing by a day and encouraged all to negotiate deals with prosecutors. But only two agreed to deals.
In both those cases, Baxter followed the state's recommendations: He gave a former teacher a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew at home for one year and a former testing coordinator six months of weekends spent in jail. They'll also serve five years on probation.
Scroll down for video
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter describes how the three former SRT directors were at the top of the chain during sentencing on Tuesday in Atlanta. He called the cheating scandal 'the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town'
Defense attorney Angela Johnson holds her hand on her client, former Atlanta public school teacher Pamela Cleveland. She was the only one of the accused to avoid jail after she took a plea deal and was sentenced to 5 years, with 1 year of home confinement and curfew
Despite their lawyers' pleas for probation and community service, the remaining eight received harsher sentences, ranging from one to seven years in jail. They are expected to appeal and will be free on bond while the appeals are pending.
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.
'This was very, very remarkable, to have the judge sort of give the defendants a second chance,' said University of Georgia law professor emeritus Ron Carlson.
'The thing that maybe was a little surprising was the reticence of the defendants to step forward and do that.'
Read more: http://www.caribbeanfevercommunity....chers-in-cuffs-11-face-up-to-20#ixzz3XT7t9zbs
Former testing coordinator Donald Bullock was one of only two accused to took a plea deal. He was sentenced to 5 years probation, 6 months of weekends in jail, a $5000 fine and 1500 hours of community service
Former Atlanta public school teacher Angela Williamson was sentenced to two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine
Bob Rubin, who represented former elementary school principal Dana Evans, said the decision to turn down the deal wasn't hard for his client.
'She couldn't say something that wasn't true,' he said, referring to the insistence by the prosecution and the judge that the negotiated deals include an acceptance of responsibility.
Those who took the deals — former teacher Pamela Cleveland and former testing coordinator Donald Bullock — waived their right to appeal. They also agreed to accept responsibility, reading aloud a statement apologizing to students, parents and the court.
Hurl Taylor, Bullock's lawyer, said his client is relieved and wants to move on with his life.
'He's a man of God and he knows that sometimes to be a man of God you have to humble yourself,' Taylor said.
Baxter eventually agreed to let all the defendants qualify for first-offender status, after initially denying it for some. That means their records can be wiped clean once they've completed their sentences.
Former Atlanta public school SRT Directors Sharon Davis Williams, left, and Tamara Cotman, right, were both sentenced to seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine
Atlanta Public school educator Tabeeka Jordan, left, was sentenced to two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine
Atlanta Public school educator Tabeeka Jordan, left, was sentenced to two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine
Misconduct by educators rarely ends up in criminal court, and the fact that so many of them received jail time sends a strong message, Carlson said.
'These sentences will send shockwaves through the world of education,' he said, adding that he believes it will be nearly impossible going forward for an administrator to pressure a teacher to cheat.
When sentencing those who didn't take a deal, Baxter reserved the harshest punishment for three regional directors who oversaw multiple schools and were 'at the very top of this scandal.'
For them, Baxter went above prosecutors' recommendations of three years imprisonment. He ordered them to serve seven years in prison with the remainder of a 20-year sentence on probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine.
During sentencing, Baxter called the cheating 'pervasive.'
'It's like the sickest thing that's ever happened in this town,' he said.
Former Atlanta public school SRT Director Michael Pitts was sentenced to seven years on Tuesday, while Diane Buckner-Webb received a one year jail term
Former Superintendent Beverly Hall was among those indicted, but she did not stand trial because her lawyers argued successfully that she was too sick. She died last month from complications of breast cancer.
The 11th convicted former educator had a baby over the weekend and will be sentenced later.
District Attorney Paul Howard told reporters after sentencing that his goal all along was to get the community to pay attention to what happened in Atlanta schools and to make sure the affected children get some relief.
'We believe the loss that we suffered was a community loss,' Howard said.
He said his office is in talks to create the Atlanta Redemption Academy, which he said will seek to identify and assess the students who were hurt by the cheating scandal and to provide solutions for them, including help getting a job or GED training or assistance getting into college.
Bernice King, daughter of slain civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., and Rev. Gerald Durley, a former administrator at Clark Atlanta University and the Morehouse School of Medicine, have been tapped to head the board of the planned academy, Howard said.
THE TEN EX-EDUCATORS SENTENCED ON TUESDAY AFTER BEING FOUND GUILTY IN ATLANTA TEXT-CHEATING CASE
Tamara Cotman
Age: 44; Former School Reform Team executive director
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
SENTENCE: Seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine.
Sharon Davis-Williams
Age: 59; Former School Reform Team executive director
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings. Earlier charge of False Swearing DISMISSED.
SENTENCE: Seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine.
Michael Pitts
Age: 59; Former School Reform Team executive director
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of Influencing Witnesses.
SENTENCE: Seven years in prison, 13 years probation, 2,000 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine. Five years to serve concurrent on Influencing Witnesses conviction.
Angela Williamson
Age: 48; Former teacher at Dobbs Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of four counts of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: Two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine.
Tabeeka Jordan
Age: 43; Former assistant principal of Deerwood Academy
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of False Statements and Writings. NOT GUILTY of Theft by Taking.
SENTENCE: Two years in prison, three years probation, 1,500 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine.
Dana Evans
Age: 48; Former principal of Dobbs Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of three counts of False Statements and Writings. GUILTY of one count of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: One year in prison, four years probation and 1,000 hours of community service.
Theresia Copeland
Age: 58; Former testing coordinator at Benteen Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of Theft by Taking. GUILTY of one count of False Statements and Writings. One count of False Statements and Writings DISMISSED.
SENTENCE: One year in prison, four years probation, 1,000 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
Diane Buckner-Webb
Age: 53; Former teacher at Dunbar Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: One year in prison, four years probation, 1,000 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
Donald Bullock
Age: 59; Former testing coordinator at B.E. Usher/Collier Heights Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. NOT GUILTY of one count of False Statements and Writings. GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings. GUILTY of False Swearing.
SENTENCE: Chose to take a plea deal before his sentencing, including six months of weekends in jail, a $5,000 fine, five years of probation, 1,500 hours of community service and an apology.
Pamela Cleveland
Age: 55; Former teacher at Dunbar Elementary
VERDICT: GUILTY of violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. GUILTY of two counts of False Statements and Writings.
SENTENCE: Took the plea deal on the day of sentencing and issued an apology. Sentenced to five years of probation with one year of home confinement, 1,000 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
teachers
The teachers, testing coordinators and other administrators were convicted Wednesday of racketeering
A racketeering charge could carry up to 20 years in prison and most of the defendants will be sentenced on April 8
The cheating came to light after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2008 that some student's scores were statistically improbable
Prosecutors said that the educators were motivated by the pressure to meet federal and local standards and to receive bonuses
A group of eleven Atlanta teachers have been convicted of cheating in a wide-scale operation which led them to inflate scores on students' standardized tests.
The defendants, including teachers, testing coordinators, and other administrators were convicted Wednesday of racketeering for their role in a wide-ranging conspiracy on students' standardized tests.
They will all be sentenced on April 8 and could face up to 20 years in prison for the racketeering charges.
Convicted: Donald Bullock, left, former Atlanta Public Schools Usher-Collier Heights Elementary testing coordinator, is led to a holding cell after a jury found him guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Cheating: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Tamara Cotman, center, is led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty in the test-cheating trial
Jail: Former Deerwood Academy assistant principal Tabeeka Jordan is led to a holding cell after the verdict
They were motivated by pressure to meet federal and local standards to receive bonuses or keep their jobs in the Atlanta Public Schools district of about 50,000 students, according to prosecutors.
And, only one teacher, Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Dessa Curb, was acquitted of all charges,
The case stems from an investigation carried out in 2011, which uncovered evidence that the educators gave answers to students or changed answers on tests after they were turned in.
Evidence of cheating was found in 44 schools with nearly 180 educators involved, and investigators found teachers who tried to report it faced retaliation.
The cheating is believed to date back to 2001, when scores on statewide skills tests began to turn around in the 50,000-student school district.
Between 2005 and 2009, test answers were altered and falsely certified, according to the 2013 indictment.
A grand jury indicted 35 educators in March 2013 on charges including racketeering, false statements and theft. Many reached plea agreements, and some testified at the trial.
However, Superintendent Beverly Hall never went to trial, successfully arguing she was too sick to mount a defense. She died last month of breast cancer.
Judge: Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter addresses the jury as he releases them from service after they found 11 former Atlanta Public Schools educators guilty of racketeering charges
Guilty: Defense attorney Robert Rubin, left, talks with his client, former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans, center, before she is led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty
Guilty: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Michael Pitts, right, listens as a jury finds him guilty
Emotion: Donald Bullock, left, former Atlanta Public Schools Usher-Collier Heights Elementary testing coordinator, reacts as a jury finds him guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Emotion: Donald Bullock, left, former Atlanta Public Schools Usher-Collier Heights Elementary testing coordinator, reacts as a jury finds him guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Hall insisted she was innocent and had no part in any cheating.
But, the educators said she was among those pressuring them to inflate students' scores to show gains in achievement — which were needed to meet federal benchmarks tied to extra funding.
Hall, who served as superintendent for more than a decade, which is rare for an urban schools chief was named Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators in 2009 and was credited with raising student test scores and graduation rates.
Former Benteen Elementary testing coordinator Theresia Copeland, center, is supported by her defense attorney Ryan Walsh, listens as a jury finds her guilty in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta. Copeland and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators accused of participating in a test cheating conspiracy that drew nationwide attention were convicted Wednesday of racketeering charges. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kent D. Johnson, Pool)
Former Benteen Elementary testing coordinator Theresia Copeland, left, is supported by her defense attorney Ryan Walsh, listens as a jury finds her guilty and Former Dunbar Elementary teacher Diane Buckner-Webb, center, stands with her defense attorney Kevin Franks after a jury found her guilty
Guilty: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Sharon Davis Williams, left, and her defense attorney Teresa Mann stand as the verdict is read in the trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta
Guilty: Former Atlanta Public Schools school research team director Sharon Davis Williams, left, and her defense attorney Teresa Mann stand as the verdict is read in the trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta
Former Deerwood Academy assistant principal Tabeeka Jordan, left, stands with her defense attorney Akil Secret after a jury found her guilty
Guilty: Former Deerwood Academy assistant principal Tabeeka Jordan, left, stands with her defense attorney Akil Secret after a jury found her guilty
Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Angela Williamson, left, and her defense attorney Gerald Griggs stand as a verdict is read in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta. Williamson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were accused of participating in test cheating
Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Angela Williamson, left, and her defense attorney Gerald Griggs stand as a verdict is read in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial, Wednesday, April 1, 2015, in Atlanta. Williamson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were accused of participating in test cheating
In a video message to schools staff before she retired, Hall warned that the state investigation launched by former Gov. Sonny Perdue would likely reveal 'alarming' behavior.
Hall said: 'There is simply no excuse for unethical behavior and no room in this district for unethical conduct.'
Defense attorneys argued those convicted should remain free until sentencing because they don't have prior records, have community ties and showed up to trial every day.
Yet, only one was allowed to remain free on bond — teacher Shani Robinson — because she is expecting to give birth soon.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter said: 'They are convicted felons as far as I'm concerned. They have made their bed and they're going to have to lie in it.'
Overcome: Former Dunbar Elementary teacher Pamela Cleveland, second from right, gets a hug from her defense attorney Angela Johnson, right, as she led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty
Overcome: Former Dunbar Elementary teacher Pamela Cleveland, second from right, gets a hug from her defense attorney Angela Johnson, right, as she led to a holding cell after a jury found her guilty
Distraught: Former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans, center right, hugs her defense attorney Robert Rubin after a jury found her guilty
Distraught: Former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans, center right, hugs her defense attorney Robert Rubin after a jury found her guilty
Verdict: Defense attorney Annette Greene reacts as the verdict is read for her client former Dunbar Elementary teacher Shani Robinson. Robinson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were convicted for their part in a test cheating conspiracy that drew nationwide attention
Verdict: Defense attorney Annette Greene reacts as the verdict is read for her client former Dunbar Elementary teacher Shani Robinson. Robinson and 10 other former Atlanta Public Schools educators were convicted for their part in a test cheating conspiracy that drew nationwide attention
Prosecutors said the 12 former educators on trial were looking out for themselves, seeking bonuses for higher test scores rather than worrying about the education of their students.
Defense attorneys argued that their clients were caught up in an overly broad prosecution that overreached in charging them with violating racketeering laws most often used for organized crime.
The months-long trial began in August with more than six weeks of jury selection, and testimony concluded in late February.
The criminal investigation by the Fulton County district attorney's office lasted nearly two years.
It only came to light after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported in 2008 that some test scores were statistically improbable.
Legal team: Fulton County Senior Assistant District Attorney Clint Rucker, right, hugs Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard after a jury reads a guilty verdict in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Legal team: Fulton County Senior Assistant District Attorney Clint Rucker, right, hugs Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard after a jury reads a guilty verdict in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial
Not guilty: Former Dobbs Elementary teacher Dessa Curb, left, with her attorney Sanford Wallack and her sister Aleesa Williams, leave the Fulton County Courthouse after a jury found her not guilty in the case
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