Parent: Deerwood principal unfairly tarnished by cheating allegations
The CRCT cheating scandal has cost several longtime administrators their posts.
Here is a letter to me from a parent upset that the APS principal at Deerwood Academy has been reassigned in the wake of the scandal. Parent Stephanie Robinson feels that Lisa Smith is being held accountable for something that — if it happened, at all — was not on her watch or within her power to change since she was not on site.
I just searched your blog and I found no information concerning the outrageous response to the so called cheating scandal at Atlanta Public Schools involving Deerwood Academy.
I am the parent of a Deerwood Academy student. Today, our beloved principal, Dr. Lisa Smith, was re-assigned to an agency position with Atlanta Public Schools and removed as principal at our school.
Based on a reading of the indictment against her, she is accused of “being the principal of an Atlanta Public School” and being on the payroll at the time of the alleged cheating. Both of course are true statements, but have nothing to do with testing improprieties.
No one at Deerwood has confessed to, been caught at, or been identified with cheating. The only ‘proof’ is based on the occurrence of erasures on 11 tests. And, by the way, Dr. Smith was in Savannah, on approved vacation, the day the tests in question were administered. Further, she was assigned to a different school for summer school on the year in question.
Ms. Downey, won’t you please help by getting the whole truth of these matters addressed in the AJC and on AJC.com? Will you please investigate this situation. These allegations are about to end the careers of some outstanding educators.
This country benefits when the press is actively involved in full investigations and not just repeating talking points.
Please investigate this subject and get the word out. I want my son to have the benefit of good educators. Don’t let a system looking for a scape-goat rob him of this fine Georgia education professional.
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234 comments Add your comment
THE COMMISH
December 19th, 2009
10:40 am
It is important that novices understand that Dr. Smith’s absence during the testing period does not absolve her of responsibilty. The general public doesn’t understand the complexities involved with conducting forensic investigations. I assure you, Dr. Smith was on a professional Development plan that succintly articulated her goals that she was expected to achieve. I believe Dr. Smith is a decent person but this situation is systemic of the plethora of dishonesty that is evident in the testing procedures in APS. Beverly Hall was presented with compelling evidence. Instead of addressing the issues with character and integrity, she went into cover-up mode. Several other APS schools will be exposed as a result of her refusal to address the problem. It is my hope that Beverly Hall understands the integrity of the entire school district is at stake and many individuals will be investigating these irregularities.
Absolutely Ridiculous!
December 19th, 2009
10:40 am
Are you serious Dewitt? Read the facts. This woman was not over the summer school site. Her building was used for the space due to renovations at the assigned principal’s site. Why shouldn’t she take vacation? Dewitt you are truly pathetic in your thinking. Have you read any of the facts? It wasn’t her summer school. This is not what Smith deserves. This is what the other principal deserves. Shame on her for not coming forward. How could you see your colleague going through all of this and not take a stand. Shame Shame Shame. Vogle is dangerous for printing half truths and collaborating with Mathers to bring APS down. We all know that they are in cohorts together on this entire scandal.
Absolutely Ridiculous!
December 19th, 2009
10:42 am
Are you serious? Read the facts. This woman was not over the summer school site. Her building was used for the space due to renovations at the assigned principal’s site. Why shouldn’t she take vacation? Dewitt you are truly pathetic in your thinking. Have you read any of the facts? It wasn’t her summer school. This is not what Smith deserves. This is what the other principal deserves. Shame on her for not coming forward. How could you see your colleague going through all of this and not take a stand. Shame Shame Shame. Vogle is dangerous for printing half truths and collaborating with Mathers to bring APS down. We all know that they are in cohorts together on this entire scandal.
TotallyinAgreement Esq.
December 19th, 2009
10:46 am
The Commish- wasn’t this plan written for the following year? What did the plan have to do with the summer school? Smith should not be held accountable for an investigation of what is to come not should she be held responsible for a site that she was not the assigned principal over. I’d love her case.
Amazing
December 19th, 2009
10:48 am
The Commish-you sound like the “Old South”. Black children can’t possibly achieve at high levels. It’s just not the natural order of things. Continue to hide your head in the sand with what is really going on. It is not about testing, cheating, or dishonesty. It is about black children progressing.
Forensic Science?
December 19th, 2009
10:53 am
I understand that Dr. Smith willingly allowed for the PSC take her fingerprints. Were they found on the documents? I would think that we would know the results of this by now. Let’s face it, she was used to get to the greater Atlanta Public Schools District. The Commish you along with the rest of the white supremacy people that rape our country of the good and brutalize the black effort should be ashamed of yourselves. This was never about helping children. We know this now. You have made me ashamed to be a white educator in APS.
Pompano
December 19th, 2009
10:57 am
What hypocrits on this blog. When a scandal happens at a Fortune 500 company, the first thing everyone does is call for the head of the CEO. Same thing should happen here except the school systems have always done everything possible to prevent accountability on the part of their employees.
Bottom line is there has been massive cheating in APS which is very much indicative of the type of culture implemented by the people at the top. The first thing any of the administrators did was to go into denial – time to clean house!
Either this principal was aware of the cheating or is so incompetant that she does not have a handle on the actions of her staff. Time to go!
Not a AJC APC Lover
December 19th, 2009
10:57 am
Witch Hunt
December 18th, 2009
7:01 pm
Witch Hunt…..always remember……first, we’re talking about the Atlanta Public School (term used very loosely) System and then, secondly, we’re talking about a newspaper where you can apply “The Peter Principal”, to wit….at some stage everyone reaches their level of incompetence (wording might not be exactly right but, you get the drift). The AJC reached that level some time ago. Until you parents out there start taking up some time with your kids at home, nothing’s gonna change.
Compelling Evidence?
December 19th, 2009
10:58 am
What was the compelling evidence? The erasure analysis is a joke. COMMISH please inform the general public. Help us to understand why the State Department, GOSA, and the PSC are looking more and more like racists. Don’t you think that it is a little unusual that all four schools that were investigated were predominantly minority schools with minority administrators? In the entire state of Georgia? Yet, with this new wave of schools being investigated, they forgot to include one that had outliers, E. Rivers. Check out thier data. Is that because the population of children are white. Incredulous at best!
Pompano the Fool
December 19th, 2009
11:02 am
Save your comments. We are talking about a summer school site where other schools took the test, not the school itself. That is the problem, none of the staffers were Deerwood staff members. The principal in charge has not come forward at all. This lady is charged with being the principal of a building where the summer school was housed. You are a fool.
Bloggers play nice
December 19th, 2009
11:06 am
I have read all of the posts and one thing is clear. This is the very first time that this has ever happened to a principal in the state of Georgia. Is Sonny trying to make a name for himself before he leaves? I heard that the Secretary of Education is getting involved because of a letter that reached the president. Is this true Maureen?
Pompano
December 19th, 2009
11:06 am
Compelling Evidence? – Why don’t you also ask the other question – Why is it that only schools with minority enrollments and with minority administrators have instituted and defended such a wide-spread culture of cheating among their staff?
Pompano
December 19th, 2009
11:11 am
Hey PTF – you must be an educator. I noticed how you avoided the concept of accountability I mentioned in my post.
I say put the cheat out on the street
YOUR ARE WRONG COMMISH
December 19th, 2009
11:12 am
IF APS ASSIGNED ANOTHER PRINCIPAL TO BE OVER THE SUMMER SCHOOL SITE AND APPROVED FOR DR. SMITH TO BE OFF DURING TESTING, THE RESPONSIBILITY IS WITH THE ASSIGNED PRINCIPAL AND THE DISTRICT. THE PSC HAS MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE AND WILL HAVE TO EAT THIS ONE. THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE SANCTIONED SMITH. INSTEAD THEY SHOULD HAVE SANCTIONED THE PRINCIPAL IN CHARGE. FURTHER, ALL OF THE EDUCATORS INVOLVED HAVE GREAT CASES BECAUSE THE ONLY EVIDENCE OF CHEATING IS ERASURES. THAT ALONE DOES NOT RULE OUT STUDENTS. THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND MAY REACH SUPERIOR COURT LEVELS. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT CASE LAW. EDUCATORS NEED TO UNITE ON THIS ONE BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS TO SMITH IN THIS CASE WILL SET THE MOLD FOR FUTURE ADMINISTRATORS.
Pompano the Fool
December 19th, 2009
11:16 am
I am not avoiding accountability. I too think that someone should be held accountable if cheating actually occurred. I just think that the principal responsible should be brought to justice. Put that cheat on the street! By the way, I am an educator and I believe in what is right. In this case, this is wrong at so many levels. Before you make your posts, read all the facts thats all. If cheating is occurring in greater Atlanta, that needs to be addressed. I just think that this woman is being railroaded and it is setting a bad precedence for administrator current and those desiring to be administrators. If she followed all procedures of her district, she should not be held responsible. She probably should have not allowed for the summer school to take place at her school, renovations or not!
Pompano the Fool
December 19th, 2009
11:18 am
I would never avoid accountability. The principal of the summer school site should be held responsible. Put that person on the street. Lack of character caused her to remain silent!
MsCrabtree
December 19th, 2009
11:21 am
If anything, this fiasco proves that NCLB is a total failure, and the overkill emphasis on standardized testing needs to be thrown out NOW. It is no wonder that our public school system is laughable in this country.
Pompano the Fool
December 19th, 2009
11:21 am
Pompano, why are you under the impression tht minority administrators are condoning cheating among staff? This is racist on your part. No further comments for you. I don’t talk to pigs!!!!
Love for the Governor
December 19th, 2009
11:25 am
MsCrabbtree, I agree with you. NCLB is a total failure and is now causing our dear Governor to look disgraceful in all of this. I think that Perdue is the greatest but I have to admit, I am a little discouraged to learn that he is allowing GOSA and the PSC to do this to a principal that was not in charge of a summer school site. Why do you think that they are not holding the other principal assigned accountable? Bricks and sticks cannot make one accountable if you are directed to allow another principal to use your building. I am very disappointed with this decision. I still love and honor our governor. I hope that he will correct this.
AJC Coverage
December 19th, 2009
11:31 am
I think that it is great that Vogle and Torres covered this story however I just read through all of the articles from summer to recent and does appear that they have been railroading this principal along with the GOSA Mathers. I want to thank all of the posters for shedding new light on this situation. There is so much infomation that had not been shared by Vogle and Torres. I hope that this principal will fight with everything that she has. I am an administrator in Macon Georgia and have been following this because our district operates similarly as APS with rotating the summer school responsibility. I am now totatlly afraid to take vacation ever!!!!!
Wow Pompano the Racist
December 19th, 2009
11:36 am
You should be ashamed of yourself for lumping all minority administrators in the same boat. I for one would never condone cheating nor do I think my esteemed colleague Dr. Smith condoned cheating. The sad part in all of this is that this witch hunt is totally racially motivated and it now has bloggers raising their ugly heads of racism.
Bio Teacher
December 19th, 2009
11:37 am
Flash, where do you teach?
Bottom line, there is not enough evidence available to the readers of this paper or blog to make an informed decision of guilt or innocence. Superficially it sounds as if there is more going on than what is published. Is it the APS trying to hide something, trying to rid themselves of an administrator that make the rest of the system look bad, or is it something else.
Could it be teachers in the school do not like their principle?
My Lord!
December 19th, 2009
11:42 am
I just learned that our beloved principal will not be returning to Deerwood during this appeals process. What have they done? Do they know the distruction that they have caused? My lord my lord. Our poor children. We finally had someone who believed enough in our children to bring programs and quality teachers to southwest Atlanta. She loved our children as they were her own. I am distraught over this. Parents of Deerwood we need to unite. I pray that all of the lying lips that speak ill of our dear principal be put to silence and have the wrath of God to be placed on them. My lord, my lord, no amount of words can describe what this decision will mean for our school. Our poor children and families. Governor Perdue may you never sleep peacefully until you fix this!!!!!!!!
Deerwood Teacher
December 19th, 2009
11:47 am
Bio Teacher- Please know that Dr. Smith is a tough cookie to work for but she is an excellent administrator that is fair and just. The teachers admired and respected her. Only the small few who she did not allow to perfor at a mediocre level had a problem with her. I think that moving our principal was so that the community could get back some normalcy. I don’t agree with the decision but will have to live with it.
PappyHappy
December 19th, 2009
11:50 am
With all due respect, who will police the CRCTs? Who will police the grade inflation? Who will police the administrators? Is no one accountable? And while there is a lot of emotional support for those who are alleged to have taken some unethical actions, THE CHILDREN ARE THE ONES WHO SUFFER!! TAXPAYERS CONTINUE TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES, AND STATE INCOME TAXES TO EDUCATE KIDS, AND YEAR AFTER YEAR, DROP OUTS CONTINUE, AND FOR THOSE WHO DO GRADUATE, SERIOUS QUESTIONS REMAIN AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN COMPETE IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY.
Cheating on the CRCT is only a symptom of a larger problem — our kids are not learning in the classroom!! The bigger question folks is when are we going to get an education system in Georgia that can produce a QUALIFIED GRADUATE?
Deerwood Teacher 2
December 19th, 2009
11:50 am
No! Please do not try to put is out there that this had anything to do with us. We loved Dr. Smith because of her willingness to work in the trenches with us. When we tutored children, she tutored too and so on. Get the teacher not liking her out of the posts. We all knew that the infamous two or three that Dr. Smith had to stay relentless about giving ample support to were marginal teachers at best. We will carry on her torch because we respected her and her work!
Big Dawg 97
December 19th, 2009
12:03 pm
I think the questions here are:
What did she know and when did she first learn about this?
Did she know or should she have known about this problem?
Pompano
December 19th, 2009
12:07 pm
Wow PTF & WPTF – you’re both two of the most closed-minded bloggers I’ve run across. If you will check the postings, I was responding to another blogger (Compelling Evidence) bringing up the issue of race – I did not introduce the topic into the thread.
Pretty pathetic that the best the two of you can do when someone disagrees with you is to play the racist card. I don’t have anymore time for such simple-minded individuals incapable of civil debate.
DAVID
December 19th, 2009
12:22 pm
THEY DON’t mind destroying the futures of kids…………..do they-????
Bio Teacher
December 19th, 2009
1:06 pm
Deerwood Teachers,
If there were no teachers unhappy enough to push this then that is great. It is not unheard of for faculty that have grudges to make problems for administrators. Both at the district offices and at the local teacher associations.
EducationCEO
December 19th, 2009
1:15 pm
Dont memebr name of the person who posted, but if you are not physically in the building (on vacation/professional development/not working during summer schools) you cannot be held responsible for activities that transpire…duh. That is why any person workign summer school and overseeing testing mUST be certified. Dr. Smith has been caught-up in the mess. Obviously PSC did not review all of the evidence. The more important question here is: Are we really surprised by PSC’s decision? After all, Wilbanks ‘forgot’ to report 40,000 disciplinary incidents and he did not receive any consequence. Let’s keep it real folks/ Look at who serves on the PSC’s ethics panel…that’s all I will say because once you see, you will know.
uberVU - social comments
December 19th, 2009
1:18 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by shannonjones11: Parent: Deerwood principal unfairly tarnished by cheating allegations: Their stories unjustly crucified Dr. Smi.. http://bit.ly/8LwoAu…
Scully and Mulder
December 19th, 2009
1:43 pm
Is this about sanctioning one administrator, or protecting another? In your outrage over what’s happening to Smith, don’t take your eyes off the end game. Take your blinders off. Do you really think Arne Duncan was down here because he wanted to eat at the Varsity?
Ayana Ages
December 19th, 2009
2:17 pm
Thank you Ms. Robinson
I too am a parent at Deerwood and was EXTREAMLY upset that Dr. Smith was reassigned. She is an EXCELLENT principal and when I read that letter yesterday, I felt so helpless. How can this happen? She was not even at the school during testing. We need her at Deerwood, not in some office pushing paper. This is so unfair to the children. No one has their best interest at heart! What type of example is this to our children??? “Hey kids, you performed much better on your test scores so the principal must be reassigned….”
J. Degrees
December 19th, 2009
2:41 pm
This is ludicrous. Cheating in APS is rampant. Talk to the children. They know. Also, talk to the teachers. There are no miracles just teachers and children under pressure from administrators. This is only the surface.
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[...] Parent: Deerwood principal unfairly tarnished by cheating … [...]
Just Thinking
December 19th, 2009
4:19 pm
What’s clear to me is that decisions were made in haste, thus presenting the implication of a cover-up. I’m not convinced that the AJC did its due diligence in offering a more thorough analysis of the situation, thus presenting the implication of a witch hunt.
There is a lot of politics involved on this battlefield. The outcome of this battle is too important to hastily sweep it under the rug and say, “See? All clean. All done.” When this kind of weight get tossed around, people get hurt. If we as society fail to recognize this, that hasty decisions are not in the best interest of the people, blood of the innocent will be needlessly spilled.
I find it difficult to believe that the evidence I’ve heard warrants this action. I think Dr. Smith can be an unwilling martyr for the public good. I think that the appeals process was created specifically for situations like this, and so I will work with the system. It is my hope that all concerned parties do the same. For they must also realize that if they don’t, then I must do my job as a citizen to clean up the mess.
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PARENT FOR OVER 5 YEARS....
December 19th, 2009
8:44 pm
I THINK MRS. SMITH AND MS.TABEEKA JORDAN GOT WHAT THEY DESERVED!!THEY ARE BIG LIARS!!! I’M SURE MRS. SMITH KNEW ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE WITH THE TEST SCORES BUT DECIDED TO BE OUT OF TOWN JUST IN CASE THET GOT CAUGHT…TOO BAD U ALL FINALLY GOT CAUGHT, THERE HAVE BEEN SO MUCH COVER UP AT DEERWOOD U PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED. SO IT’S ALWAYS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE JUSTICE IS SERVED, AND JUSTICE WAS SERVED ON THEM BOTH…IT’S STLL ONE MORE ADMINISTATOR AT THE SCHOOL WHO IS A BIG LIAR…U ARE NEXT!!! GOD DON’T LIKE UGLY!!!
COVER UPS AT APS AND DEERWOOD
December 19th, 2009
9:35 pm
APS HAVE A HABIT OF COVERING UP WRONG DOINGS FROM ADMINISTRATORS AT DEERWOOD……THE GOVERNOR NEEDS TO DO A FULL INVESTIGATION OF ALL THE COMPLAINTS OF AT LEAST 3 OF THE MAIN ADMINISTRATORS AT THE SCHOOL. THEY HAVE ON MANY OCCASIONS PLOTTED TO COVER UP EACH OTHER……AND I BET YA THET HAD GOTTEN TOGATHER ONCE AGAIN TO PLAN THIS COVER UP, BUT GUESS WHAT….THIS ONE COVER UP FAILED……LOL…GOTCHA!!! I WAS TOLD BY APS UPON A COMPLAINT…”WE CAN’T STOP A ADMINISTRATOR FROM BEING DIS-HONEST”
proudtobeblack
December 19th, 2009
10:45 pm
Mrs. Smith knew exactly what was going on in her building. She was very arrogant and her assistant principal was very wicked. They have mistreated parents, staff, custodian, cafeteria managers, teachers and we can go on and on about Lisa /Tabeeka. I think Lisa should be suspended with out pay. You reap what you SOW!!!!!! LISA think about all the people you look down on. I am glad you are gone. YOU thought that was your school but, GOD SHOWED YOU IT WASN”T YOUR SCHOOL. I hope you have asked GOD for forgiveness because you knew exactly what was going on in your building you and Tabeeka were two of a kind WICKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ole Guy
December 19th, 2009
11:28 pm
Apparently, an “outside investigation” has brought forth suspicions of “incompetence and Laziness”…political recharacterizations, perhaps? Anyone can be portrayed in any light which serves to illustrate a “get tough” posture…in order to bolster this stance, why not direct these allegations toward high-profile leaders.
Could it be that Dr. Smith, in some previous exchange, “crossed swords” with the wrong person? How do you spell VENDETTA?
Deerwood Teacher 2
December 20th, 2009
12:27 am
Dear Cover Parent of five years, If you were so dismayed by the school and the administrators, why did you stay at the school. You loved the vision and all its glory. You didn’t like the visionary. You sound hostile in your remarks. A little jealous of the admin team is what I think. 5 years is a long time to remain in a school where you believe dishonest administrators exist.
Proud to be black-you are ridiculous. You sound like a jealous fool too. I hope to God that I do not have your child in my class.
Our school has suffered a great loss. It is people like you that will take this school all the way down. You probably couldn’t take the high expectations that Dr. Smith held all people, including parents, accountable for. Read the fricking facts. It wasn’t her summer school nor was she in charge of it. There was another administrator there. We need to be asking questions of her.
Parent for 6 years
December 20th, 2009
12:35 am
Well I have been at Deerwood Academy since the doors opened. My child is now in the fifth grade and I do not know the person that proudtoblack has described. I know that Dr. Smith did not allow parents to come up to the school acting wild and crazy and she didn’t tolerate teachers that half stepped when it came to kids. I totally disagree with the previous comments and can’t imagine why they kept their kids at a school where they seemed to have such contempt for the leader. It sounds to me that you loved the vision and hated the visionary. Very odd. God has Dr. Smith. She is probably going to be Superintendent one day. She has done an excellent job creating a school for southwest atlanta children. It is a public school with a private school experience. My husband and I admire and respect her fully.
Missy 19
December 20th, 2009
12:38 am
Proudtobeblack and Parent of 5 years, I wish hell on your lives. We just lost a phenomenal leader. I am sick about it. You are wicked to write such awful untruths. You will reap what you sow. You don’t care about the facts you only care about your jealously. Drop dead the two of you!
Educator
December 20th, 2009
12:41 am
Dr. Smith did think Deerwood was her school and was determined to make sure that it was a school that educated the “whole” child. There are a whole lot of people that would disagree with Proudtobeblack and Parent of 5 years. The two of you are hypocrits to have left your children in a school where you felt so strongly in opposition of the leader. Truth is you loved everything Deerwood had to offer. The offerings were a result of the leader’s vision. How stupid are the two of you. It seems like you wanted to do her job for her and she wouldn’t allow it.
Paul Ingram
December 20th, 2009
1:07 am
Parent of 5 years-Why on earth did you remain at a school where the administrative team members are liars. Either you are a glutten for punishment or you believe in what the school stands for. Please do not blog your hate. We are trying to have an educated conversation. You hatemail is a distraction. All black women seem to always have problems with each other. I bet Dr. Smith and this Tabeeka woman are attractive. This is the deadly sin of the african american race. Let’s talk politics. Is Sonny boy trying to run again?
Proudtobeblack Fool
December 20th, 2009
1:14 am
proudtobeblack is a real fool. Do you truly understand what this means for our children at Deerwood Academy. Gone with Dr. Smith is the vision and everything that we love about the school. Someone else may come in and make changes to everything. No more IB, performance, clubs, tutorials, Saturday school, and the host of activities that she put in place. Deerwood is soon to become another Fickett or Continental Colony. The 3R’s only. What a disgrace this is. I agree with Paul. 5 year parent is an idiot. Move your child if you are unhappy and think that the principal is a liar. How stupid are you?
Proudtobeblack Fool
December 20th, 2009
1:19 am
5 year parent and proudtobeblack are a disgrace to the human race. I am ashamed that the two of you have anything to do with Deerwood. Do you understand what this means for our children. Gone with Dr. Smith are all of the great things that she put in place for kids. The principal assigned is going to make this school another Fickett or Continental Colony. I am familiar with her. All the children will get are the 3R’s
Teacher 1
December 20th, 2009
1:41 am
Dear Coverups at APS- Your comments are ridiculous because you too allow your child to remain at a school where you thought the administrators were liars. Perhaps they did not allow you to bring the school down. I can tell by your comments that you probably were a hell raiser that Dr. Smith had to diffuse and squash. Go where you belong-straight to hell for not thinking of the children. You are selfish and stupid.