APS whistle blowers: Their credibility came under attack

Dr. John Trotter

January 23rd, 2011
10:24 am

I guess that this now on target, eh?….Maureen, are we beginning to see now just how corrupt that MACE has been saying (like a lone voice in the wilderness for years) the Atlanta School System is? I hope that today’s headline article about the cheating, the retribution against those who report the cheating, etc., opens the eyes of those who have always thought that accusations about Atlanta’s corruption were over-exaggerated. Up until recently, you were still saying that overall Beverly Hall has been a good superintendent, and I countered with all due alacrity that she has been the worst superintendent that Atlanta has ever had. I repeat…the worst superintendent. She has been a complete and colossal disaster.

Just my unvarnished thoughts on a beautfiul Sunday morning.

MACE was right about Beverly Hall in Atlanta. MACE was right about Crawford Lewis in DeKalb. MACE is still right about Edmond Heatley in Clayton. MACE is right about Alvin Wilbanks in Gwinnett. MACE is right also about Mark Elgart and SACS…a story that the AJC began working on (I know because a reporter kept calling me, wanting me to give my input on SACS) but for some strange reason has held back on the story. It is easy to hate on the messenger (MACE) but the message remains what it is. Most prophetic voices are shunned initially. Even the old prophets in the Bible were almost universally stoned and killed. You can roll you eyes all you want, but the prophetic voice in Georgia’s educational arena has been MACE and MACE alone. Only when the evidence mounts so high that an avalanche is about to occur does the AJC and other outlets tepidly get on board. We write so as not to be misunderstood. Ha! © MACE, January 23, 2011.

ScienceTeacher671

January 23rd, 2011
10:42 am

Maureen, for those of us in the far corners of the state, how many of those stories will be online?

teacher&mom

January 23rd, 2011
10:44 am

@st671—the AJC only delivers a few papers to my area at a cost of around $4. I’d love to read the articles but I doubt I will be able find a copy

schlmarm

January 23rd, 2011
10:44 am

Maureen could you post a link to the story on how SACS works? Thanks.

No Teacher Left Behind

January 23rd, 2011
10:45 am

HERE, HERE Dr. John Trotter! I hope that in the near future MACE will also be right about whomever is the next Fulton County Schools superintendent, and its “power crazed board members. Fulton County schools is also rampant with nepotism and fudging of scores and discipline reports especially in the “higher achieving” schools. I have an Hispanic coworker who is being targeted for standing up to our chairperson’s condescending and racially toned antics. She was assigned on a PDP and is being documented on her every move. And even though she is a superb teacher in her subject, and her students’ AP scores track record is impressive, the administrators are choosing to tarnish her work performance record but she is standing up for her civil rights.
Georgia’s educational problems are not the teachers or the students, it is the mediocre and unwise administrators that are selectively placed in these positions, not by their own merits or experitise but by who they “know” in the system.

Tonya C.

January 23rd, 2011
10:49 am

Dr. Trotter, they are everything you claim them to be and worse. I’ve worked on the inside, and to this day remain disgusted and disturbed by what I saw. I would sell a kidney before I ever let a child of mine go to school in the system. The corruption, nepotism, favoritism, and cronyism is rampant. After having contact with many of the teachers and students in the system, I believe everything that has been written about the CRCT scandal.

Tonya C.

January 23rd, 2011
10:52 am

And when people speak of “teachers’ unions’ I laugh. Really? GA tenure laws hold ZERO teeth. The PSC is a tool of the school systems, not an ally of ANY teacher. And PDPs are used like AK-47s to destroy the careers of many GREAT teachers.

oldtimer

January 23rd, 2011
10:52 am

And thse superintendants make more than the governor and vice president of the United States. Maybe our elected supers wre not so bad.

oldtimer

January 23rd, 2011
10:52 am

these

Mikey D

January 23rd, 2011
10:54 am

There is definitely a culture of fear in APS, but this is certainly not exclusive to Atlanta. Teachers in Georgia have no collective bargaining rights, are forced annually to sign contracts without pay scales or a specified number of days worked, are not given the same whistleblower protections that others receive (according tot he article), and are threatened constantly with loss of their jobs and livelihoods if they dare to “get out of line”… And now on top of all of that, we have politicians trying to score political points by misrepresenting what we do on a daily basis, simply because we are ridiculously easy targets.

And we still have posters who come on this blog and complain about how teachers are lazy whiners. Where else are professionals treated so horrendously, with the apparent applause coming from everyone outside the profession?

No Teacher Left Behind

January 23rd, 2011
10:59 am

@Mikey D, well said. I would am curious as to when this anti-teacher sentiment began to snowball in Georgia? We are thrown under the bus continuously, have no one to protect our civil or job rights, and our salaries have been and furloughed or frozen for the past 3 years now. Add to that, larger classroom sizes, tons of redundant and useless paperwork, high maintenance parents, and litttle to 0 classroom resources/materials.

Dr. John Trotter

January 23rd, 2011
11:02 am

Maureen: Could you please post a link to this story? I cannot find a copy of the AJC here in the Marvelous City. I would love to read the story, however. Agora, Eu vou ir na praia, OK? Ha! Please link it for me and others who cannot buy a physical copy of the paper today. Maureen, thanks!

Doris M

January 23rd, 2011
11:05 am

@Tanya C. “The corruption, nepotism, favoritism, and cronyism is rampant” Never have truer words been spoken! If an employee in APS raises any point that is considered negative to the Hall administration, they will be pursued until pushed out of the system.

I just hope the next superintendent is ethical.

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
11:27 am

So, Beverly Hall was not in the least disturbed by the high erasures from wrong to right. ‘We teach our kids to go back and check their work and erase.’ One only hopes “kids” meant students not administrators and principals. OK, gotcha. Said “kid” erases, say 26 out 40 questions. Sure, happens all the time. Kid rushes through a test, slaps down 26 wrong answers, thinks about for a bit…ah, yes, go back and erase. Good, just the way we taught em to. Question: Do they think people are complete and total idiots to believe that?
If that were true than I would suggest a really good strategy would be to erase every answer, because EVERY SINGLE ONE of the erased answers turned out to be right. So, if you just count the erased ones..they got a 100%!!! Now thats progress.

The really sad part, and not at all funny, is looking at APS scores this year when they were watched and couldn’t cook the books, and some really dedicated and hardworking students and teachers made some real gains. They need to be celebrated, and in NO WAY tainted by the cynical and dishonest doings of the last few years.

ScienceTeacher671

January 23rd, 2011
11:29 am

Thanks, Maureen!

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
11:32 am

So APS hires a lawyer to evaluate the teacher blowing the whistle?? Really? If I was that teacher, I would have had my lawyer there, too. You don’t meet a lawyer without a lawyer.

V. Powell

January 23rd, 2011
11:33 am

Tell me how the computor that scored the “cheated exam” could report the correct answer and not the wrong. Do we know? The premise that the “cheating scandal” was based on was completely wrong, that is; “predominately minority students can not improve their grades on a standardized test without cheating.”

This reminds me of the time it was a known fact by some people, that Black athletes could not complete in professional basketball (NBA). This system is alive today for anyone that want to use it regardless how stupid it is to some.

This is BIzzare

January 23rd, 2011
11:35 am

This is sad. Of course Teachers get retaliated against. Look at how they treat board members who refuse to be cronies for Hall and the chamber. A poor little techer doesn’t stand a chance.

justbrowsing

January 23rd, 2011
11:37 am

@ V. Powerll- this not so much a race issue as it is an ethical one. The race card just does not apply in this case. It is evident that APS is a cesspool for unethical practices and personal vendettas.

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
11:38 am

They were making it crystal clear to every teacher in that system what would happen to them if they came forward. This is so outrageous. Legislature? Governor? Feds? Ga. Proffessinal Standards? Hello? Please help. Testing service: Advise you to run the last ten years tests with the erasure detector turned way up. We need a baseline for honest achievement to start evaluating where gains have actually been made here in Georgia. Get some testing interns to do it. Be a good project for them. CC the governors office, DOE, GBI, FBI, Ga. Prof. Standards Commission, SACS, and the AJC with results.

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
11:40 am

V. Powell, yes we do know. The scanner automatically shows answers erased as well as the ones filled in completely. Probably just have to adjust the sensitiviy on the scanners. Shows the ones from right to wrong, too, and of course, statiscally there should be some of those too.

Yankee Veteran Teacher

January 23rd, 2011
11:44 am

The problem with retaliation against whistleblowers is not limited to APS. I was surprised when I moved to Georgia that GCPS made me sign some documents promising to abide by the PSC’s “Code of Ethics” for educators. I hesitated before reporting a popular teacher’s embezzelment of school funds, but GAE told me I had report the crime. Yes it was non-stop retaliation in good ole GCPS! Trotter is right and has always been right!

SpaceyG on Twitter

January 23rd, 2011
11:44 am

After reading this seems Atlanta teachers need to look-up the word *complicit* in the dictionary. And stop being driven by imaginary fears, lawyer up, heck, start blogging for chrissake, and speak-up. En mass. What’s the worse that could happen? Change? Well, change is a’coming to APS now, so try getting on THAT bandwagon.

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
11:47 am

With the IDMS system, when you scan your students benchmark results, for example, if there is more than one answer on a response, it flags them. It shows you one filled in heavily and the other thats been erased (it shows but not as dark). It asks you “Is this correct?” You hit yes, and it records the answer. Of course, there were only six or seven answers out of 103 students taking a 25 question test, so its relatively trivial exercise.

RTTT

January 23rd, 2011
11:51 am

This story begs contemplation of another issue. Although the RTTT push for pay for performance for teachers seems like a good idea on paper, how do you actually evaluate teachers and make sure that those evaluations are fair? Do you use test scores? How do you make sure that the scores aren’t the result of cheating? Do you use administrative evaluations? How do you make sure that those evaluations aren’t subject to the same issues outlined in the story above? Legislators and others in education academia (those who DON’T actually teach in primary-secondary schools) have been pushing the idea of pay for performance for years, and as a teacher the idea always raised these exact questions.

I work extremely hard spending many hours in the evenings, on weekends, and during summer vacation to make my classes the best they can be. I have excellent AP scores that support that hard work on paper, and have never had anything other than excellent evaluations. I know that there are those in my school and in every school that draw the same salary I do–often much more–who don’t work very hard (though at least in my experience those teachers are a relatively small number). It is a source of frustration, but because of the seemingly insurmountable (at least from my perspective in the trenches) problems with the implementation of pay for performance, I just don’t see it as the answer to the problem. There are plenty of hard working teachers that I know that agree.

Another view

January 23rd, 2011
11:53 am

@ScienceForever You write “They were making it crystal clear to every teacher in that system what would happen to them if they came forward.” This is what I got out of the article too. The simple fact is that the article is rife with several positions based on fear: the fear of the teacher making a report, the fear of the teacher losing the job if grades did not improve, the fear of the principal losing their job, and the fear of the district losing money with no increase in test scores. Let us be frank here. Fear associated with test scores tied to money demonstrates that the use of such measurements will continue to produce the results displaced in this article. At the same time, we can see how fear among teachers comes from a lack of protection. Both points show that GA is suffering from the lack of union protection of teachers. With a strong union, teacher’s would not have to worry about losing their jobs for simply reporting wrongful behavior by other teachers and administrators. This was true in my district in Utah and Illinois, but sadly not here. Unionization, equitable financing of the system, and responsible testing measurements would eliminate the climate of fear and, more importantly, allow students to recognize the cheating and manipulation of scores is unethical in education. Sadly, the corporate powers that control education in the state and federal levels would not allow for such a democratic (small “d” by the way) system.

Mike

January 23rd, 2011
11:57 am

This goes on all over the place, not just Atlanta and not just with teachers. Retaliation and fear of retaliation is a major problem in schools systems. Administrators are just as susceptible to it, especially since most never have any tenure. I can relate a story about an administrator was forced to resign for speaking up about cheating regarding graduation rates. This person has been harassed for years since leaving that system by libelous blog posts in several places and phone calls to his superintendents by the prior district’s administration attempting to ruin his reputation and get him fired. The culture of fear and retaliation in our school systems is nothing short of vicious.

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
12:02 pm

RTTT, the only real way to evaluate a teachers performance on test results is longitudinally. Track each students year on year results. Did most dip one year? Did most make gains one year, but not the next. You can really compare horizontally because like you I teach the highest achievers now. I didnt always though, and significantly raised scores those three years at an underachieving schools. (Without erasers, I might add. Now I am at 100%, with 67% achieving. At that school we went from 52% to 72% in three years. Its going to be much harder for me to show improvement year on year. Also, statewide there is a 10% drop in CRCT from 7th to 8th grade. Its not that the students are suddenly not working, or teachers not teaching, it is the simple fact that 8th grade physical science (like intro chemistry and physics combined) is well, HARDER, than 7th grade Life science.
So any system would have to evaluate kids yearly progress from teacher to teacher, factor in overall percentage gains or losses year on year due to subject matter, and factor in things like a teacher going from 95% on the test to 93% is the expected variation year to year. It complicated, but could be done with some real thought and intelligent reasoning. Oh, I see your point…

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
12:04 pm

“can not compare horizontally” teacher to teacher or school school. sorry

Mike

January 23rd, 2011
12:05 pm

filtered?

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
12:06 pm

67% exceeding. Sheesh, I gotta proofread this …

Tonya C.

January 23rd, 2011
12:08 pm

V. Powell:

This investigation was based on the whistle-blowing of several teachers. The scores we re-analyzed after several individuals came forward. I am black, and working for APS demonstrated what a ‘race card’ really was, b/c anyone who challenged them was accused of being racist. WRONG! SO many of the kids that I met in the system had no grasp of common English and wouldn’t have impressed anyone they met.

Anyone with good vision would question the leaps and bounds of gains reported by APS no matter the racial makeup of the district.

dismay

January 23rd, 2011
12:14 pm

i shouldn’t be shocked by the first to cast stones. As I recall, MACE isn’t a paragon of professsionalism either. Is it any wonder that more and more families opt for home schooling or private schools. The need for vouchers becomes clearer by the day.

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
12:17 pm

I don’t know if the drop from 7th grade CRCT to 8th grade statewide is actually 10% or 8%, I wanted to write this morning and not research state CRCT results is science. I can guarantee you, though, it is a significant drop. So, if students in my 8th grade class “dropped” 3% points in science CRCT, but statewide the overall drop was 11%, I should be 8 points to the good. It would seem to me.

I hate MACE

January 23rd, 2011
12:20 pm

I will say it again; Beverly Hall is a woman of grace, posture, class and the greatest superintendent Atlanta has ever seen. The only thing she is guilty of is trusting these undereducated southern fools who don’t have a basic idea of how schooling works. Dr. John Trotter is a fool who needs to go lie down somewhere with his communist organization that is trying desperately to get recognized. So the pressure made a few cheated, who cares people cheat all the time in every organization, in every walk of life, every day. Generally, teachers who complain about administrators are the weak, the useless, and the ones who do not need to be in education. Atlanta Public Schools is not an employment agency.
Dr. Hall will leave Atlanta Public Schools in the best position ever and a little thing like cheating will not matter in a couple of months. I love Beverly hall and what she has done for Atlanta Public Schools. Mace is for idiots and John Trotter is driving the bus.

ScienceForever

January 23rd, 2011
12:21 pm

For example, a few years ago before I taught high achievers, I had a girl who came with a 763 on science CRCT. We really worked, the two of us. She raised that to 796, a 33 point gain. But, of course, she was recorded as “Not on grade level.” OK, I guess she wasn’t, but you know, the tools that are used to judge these kids and teachers, as well, are, how should put this, rather BLUNT.

Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta

January 23rd, 2011
12:21 pm

Whistleblowers,

KUDOS to you for standing up for Truth and for the integrity of your profession!

Also, KUDOS to the AJC for reporting your stories!

It’s “gut-check” time for the GAE and PAGE? Will they flex their legal muscle in defense of you whistleblower-members? If they don’t, they won’t deserve another penny in membership dues from ANY TEACHER. (Don’t most teachers join for legal representation?)

N.B.: Keep detailed documentation of each episode of retaliation: What? Who? When?
Where? Why?

The e-mail address of the Atlanta FBI office is: atlanta@ic.fbi.gov.

Remind retaliators that tampering with witnesses in state and federal investigations is
a felony.

I hate MACE

January 23rd, 2011
12:22 pm

mace is for fools

Tonya C.

January 23rd, 2011
12:25 pm

Dismay:

MACE may not be the paragon of professionalism, but they have been ’sounding the horn’ about these issues for YEARS. If someone, ANYONE, would have listened what is happening now could have been prevented. But people were so enamored by Beverly Hall and her brand of ‘improvements’ they couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

The tree of APS may be standing, but the inside is rotted to the core. This is IS NOT about race; it’s about right and wrong and educating students so they can be contributing citizens as adults. There are no shortcuts to achieve this goal.

V for Vendetta

January 23rd, 2011
12:41 pm

Surprise, surprise. The $hit always rolls downhill.

Lewis

January 23rd, 2011
12:41 pm

What the article is describing for all to see is the “nuts and bolts” of corruption at work in a system, permeating from top to bottom, and the common fact that folks go along with it either out of fear, complicity, or jaded sensibilities. The message, “Don’t rock the boat”, always carries with it the threat of force behind it to hurt those who don’t go along. It is thuggish behavior, not much different than physically threatening people to get what you want or to cover for you. There should be a widespread house-cleaning and criminal charges brought to demonstrate that threats against those who talk are absolutely unacceptable. The whole culture of the school system must be reformed and the rot at the core removed.

Attorney

January 23rd, 2011
12:49 pm

All of this is so true about APS! Retailiation is rampant in the Hall administration. You have to keep a lawyer on retainer at all times if you work there to fight for yourself. They are always surprised by smart employees with money that fight them legally and win! Is there any way that the AJC can request through the Open Records Act information about the lawyers that sent letters to Dr. Hall and the Human Resource Department at APS on the behalf of employees that they were representing against the district? Also is it possible to request documentation about the amount of taxpayer dollars spent in the APS legal department to defend cases and the number and type of cases?

The employees didn’t stand a chance working under these gangster who seem to enjoy violating students and staff civil rights on a daily basis in the city of Dr, Martin Luther King’s birth.

The white collar”black on black” crimes committed against the black children and employees of this city is shameful! Let’s be real, the CRCT scandal is about cheating the minority children on the south end of the city and the black administration bullying the minority teachers working there to commit the illegal acts.

The APS Legal and Human Resources Department are complicit in all of the retaliation activities big time! Millicent Few and Jeffery Thomas of the HR Department are the chiefs of retaliation against employees in APS. They carry out directves from Hall and Augustine to attack employees until you force them to quit! Hall hides her hands of involvement of course as in the CRCT cheating scandal. APS has lost so many exceptional employees under this gangster administration due to bullying and retaliation.

chillywilly

January 23rd, 2011
12:55 pm

I believe whistle-blowers Paul Landerman, Ryan Abbott, Sidneye Fells, Lillian Lockhart, & Gautam Saha. It’s obvious to me that Penn Payne’s only role is to protect Beverly Hall, other top administrators, and participate in coverups while lining her pockets. Again I ask, “Why did two of APS top Human Resources Managers leave APS to work for Clayton County Schools just this past year? Just as Dr. Trotter stated, Beverly Hall is the worst school superintendent in APS history. As I’ve stated before, sit back folks, the show is about to begin.

Inman Park Boy

January 23rd, 2011
1:01 pm

Gee, what a surprise. The bureaucracy of the APS lashes out at those trying to help it be a better system. Corrupt to the core.

teacher&mom

January 23rd, 2011
1:04 pm

It is sad when the PSC tells a teacher….”We can’t protect you from retaliation.” I’ve had fellow teachers who have talked with the PSC, PAGE, GAE, and local lawyers and they were told the same thing.

Who do we turn to when the system fails to protect those trying to do the right thing?

justbrowsing

January 23rd, 2011
1:05 pm

@Science Forever- I think they look at the state averages scores and compares your average or gain to those in your discipline. Science is not a subject that can be linked to the last grade level.

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
1:06 pm

as stated above, its not just APS.

the BOR is even worse. and they make sure you understand -very subtly, mind you – speaking out on what you know will cost you:
your job
your profession,
your pension,
and whatever else they can levy upon you.

they have a very simple but effective weapon. deep pockets.
they’ll fire you or punish you in some way which heavy handed and
intended to send a message to you and others.

then they’ll invite you to sue them. and just drag things out and bleed you dry until you can no longer sustain the legal fight.

technically we (state employees) have an “ethics” (ha!) hotline, but
no one I know trusts it.

No Noise

January 23rd, 2011
1:06 pm

Don’t raise any objections, make no noise and bring no complaints in the Ga public schools if you are a teacher—administrators and the school system will make your life miserable with sudden “poor performance” reviews and phony “complaints” about your teaching. It’s one of many reasons why Ga is near the bottom in performance nationwide. The system is a national laughingstock.

justbrowsing

January 23rd, 2011
1:08 pm

@teacher&mom- this is what Georgia needs to legislate before they attempt to legislate excellence from the state capital.

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
1:11 pm

@ Dr. Craig,

problem is, they act is such a way that there is no direct witness
tampering. while they are fools, they’re not stupid.

the one thing folks can and should do is document, document, document.
emails are best, but also keep a diary of what was said/done, by whom, when/where, and any witnesses if possible.

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
1:13 pm

I’ve seen many instances of people who were widely regarded as doing a good job have the evaluations plummet at the first signs or rocking the boat.

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
1:16 pm

SACS is a joke as well.
foxes guarding the hen house.

chillywilly

January 23rd, 2011
1:17 pm

@Attorney – You hit the nail on the head. People wouldn’t understand it unless you worked here. You mentioned Millicent Few & Jeffrey Thomas, but I’d like you to take a look at Finance Division’s Chuck Burbridge & Nader Sohrab. Before it’s all said and done, I believe that some interesting things will be revealed about these two individuals.

captguitarman

January 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm

The tragedy in all of this is that school children already fighting severe disadvantages due to their home, family, and economic circumstances were (and have been for quite some time now) routinely thrown under the bus by the APS administration. Make no mistake. Jobs and high paying careers were at stake. The wagons were circled. When the issue crystalized – it’s us or the children – the choice was easy. These kids aren’t going any where any way. Why sacrifice our jobs, careers, power, position for them? The surprising thing is the complicity of the Atlanta business community, Chamber of Commerce, etc. in helping to cover up what anyone close to the situation already knew–the APS/Beverly Hall success was a PR miracle, and a complete and absolute educational failure. The books had been cooked, and everyone knew it, and boat rockers and whistle blowers acted at their own professional peril. Typically, business people almost always deal with the tough realities because “money talks, and BS walks” as the old saying goes, and in the real world, you cannot hide from results and performance as you can in the world of government bureacracy — especially one as full of favoritism, nepotism, and cronyism as the APS – and its buy in to Beverly Hall cult and the BIG LIE. Having he big lie exposed aparently was a disaster in waiting that the business community felt could be held off with their phony investigation. When will the people in these positions learn that the truth always comes out? And now this fiasco. Good for the whislte-blowers and boat rockers. You have done more for the children in the APS system than any of thousands administrators and its bloated bureaucracy, and its incompetent and self-serving surperintendent and her minions, all desperate to hold on to their ridiculously overpaid positions. In the private sector, there would be no waiting out the end of the contract, she would have been fired when all this first came out. In the end, the children will suffer. The teachers are caught in the middle. Will the career administrators be found out and punished, dismissed, etc? We’ll see. Don’t bet your ranch on it.

Teacher for now

January 23rd, 2011
1:32 pm

Teachers became the villains when NCLB was passed. That piece of legislation set out to raise standards. What it did, though, was place the blame of student deficits on the schools, who passed it on to the teachers. Students have become increasingly less involved in their own educational process because they know the school will be held accountable, not them, for their scores. Parents are no longer in the picture because they have decided the schools can do all the teaching.
So, teachers are left with the blame-their livelihoods are threatened, their love of teaching, their dedication to academics diminished.
And, as in any business, there are certain people who are untouchable. No charge can be brought against them, even if they are in the wrong. They are golden for whatever reason.

On Everything I Love

January 23rd, 2011
1:33 pm

HELP!!! I am a current APS teacher. I received a 97 on my ATEP TPEI evaluation last year. I reported financial issues to my principal in accordance with APS Board Policy and he unleashed his wrath!!! This year my evaluations have been downgraded and my teaching ability has been questioned. My promethean board was sabotaged…I was given a smaller classroom…My leadership responsibilities were stripped…and I am currently on a PDP. My union, AFT told me that I don’t have a claim. Next months AJC article will likely be about me…

APS Teacher Dismissed for Revealing Misappropriation of Title I Funds

Attorney

January 23rd, 2011
1:34 pm

Millicent Few, Executive Director of the APS Human Resources Department has a law degree and is the boss from helllll and that is why the two really professional HR managers left APS to go to Clayton County Schools. They were too professional and wanted to do the right thing as ethical employees, so they knew they needed to get out of APS as soon as they could line up another job.

The APS Human Resources Department has always had the reputation of being the worst department in the district, as the customer service was awful. The staff was known to be rude and unhelpful, the exact personality of Few, the person in charge. It is a wonder anyone works there, but the staff turnover rate is high. Again, Hall did nothing but allow this behavior to reign and the Board of Education didn’t do anything about their only employee in the district, Dr. Beverly L. Hall, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools. The board heard the rumors on the streets of Atlanta about the chaos in APS, but chose to do nothing and let the terror reign for 10 years under this dictator. Now they are paying the price for doing nothing on their watch as elected officials by the people.

APS Teacher for now

January 23rd, 2011
1:34 pm

Pointing out wrong doing is one of the most stressful undertakings you can take. But a former student pleaded with me to do the right thing. I told him I wasn’t strong enough. The corruption was unbelievable and the tactics so cut throat. Dr. Hall’s reach was vast and Dr. Bynum was a willing disciple.

I went out on the limb and I kept the young man’s words close to my heart, “you’ve got to be our Sojourner Truth.”. I cried, I got sick; their words and actions were hurtful and mean. My family and Dr. John Trotter’s “MACE” became my support. And we prevailed. OIR in APS is a travesty. Thank God for Professional Standards. They at least try to right wrongs. Thank you Dr. Trotter. I am still fighting their retaliation since the transfer and the mean tricks they are playing now but I am no longer afraid. And, thank you AJC…

justbrowsing

January 23rd, 2011
1:35 pm

Georgia’s educational progress hinges on its ability to invite teachers into the decision making process. In these instances, it shows the economic rammifications of turning a blind eye to the issues of “lowly teachers” in Georgia’s public schools. Georgia must do more to protect its teachers. It may be a right to work state, but there are indignities that teaching professionals should just not have to tolerate. The job is stressful enough by itself. Add the shenanigans of unethical administrators and you create dysfunctional school setting for teachers- and then students.

justbrowsing

January 23rd, 2011
1:42 pm

@Maureen- anyway you all can explore the issue of Teacher Abuse/Bullying in Georgia? It has gotten wildly out of hand. You would be shocked at the abuses that occur in schools across Georgia- not just in APS.

What Goes Around Comes Around

January 23rd, 2011
1:46 pm

@SpaceyG on Twitter January 23rd, 2011 11:44 am

You say lawyer up? That has been the whole problem with APS. Teachers and others who were wrongfully fired for speaking out have lawyered up. APS will spend millions of dollars to prove they are right when they are wrong. They hire lawyers like Warren Fortson who work both sides. He works for APS and then he will work for APS employees suing APS. DOES ANYONE SEE WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE. You cannot serve two masters.

There needs to be an investigation into how much money APS has spent on lawyers against APS employees. There was a secretary who was wrongfully fired at age 65. She spent $40,000 in lawyer fees and Warren Fortson was one of her attorneys, he took her money and did not give her proper representation. He did not even show up in court but called her and said he was not coming. She was denied her pension and her unemployment.

LAWYER UP?!!!??? APS would rather spend millions than say they were wrong. THIS IS THERE CULTURE AS WELL.

blah

January 23rd, 2011
1:49 pm

It’s no wonder why APS is the highest paying district in the state.

Teacher Reader

January 23rd, 2011
1:49 pm

Anyone suspected of cheating, should be suspended without pay until it can be proven without a doubt that they are innocent. I cannot believe that the principals, assistant principals, and teachers are able to work with our children. I hold my child and those in his/her care to a very high moral standard. I would not want my child to be in any cheaters schools or classrooms.

Whistle blowers are scrutinized because the cheaters are never persecuted and if they are it’s a mire slap on the wrist. These people should never be able to be in a school or classroom working anywhere ever again.

Teacher That

January 23rd, 2011
1:50 pm

Everything I love, get the hell away from the AFT after you get you a lawyer and write the national AFT office in Washington, DC to make them pay your legal fees as a member, they will let you loose your job. Call attorney Borquaye Thomas at 404-304-7894 to help you. He is good at handling APS legally. Join MACE with Dr. Trotter after you win your case with Attorney Thomas.

APS Teacher for now

January 23rd, 2011
1:53 pm

For new whistleblowers…come at them sideways and have witnesses. Paper trails are important, you must have copies of records. I am under the gun like all of you. All of my seniority was stripped and Mr. Bynum and Dr. Hall tried to humiliate me after the incident. I have the classes from Hades and it was done on purpose, but still I rise. My job is to teach and I will fight to get a child to learn something to the bitter end. And I’m still getting rewards as a teacher. So there, Mr. Bynum.

What Goes Around Comes Around

January 23rd, 2011
1:54 pm

@bootney farnsworth January 23rd, 2011 1:06 pm

SAY IT LOUD.

“they’ll invite you to sue them. and just drag things out and bleed you dry until you can no longer sustain the legal fight.”

SAY IT LOUD!!!!!

Parent

January 23rd, 2011
2:00 pm

If you have ever rocked the boat of an organization with questionable practices, it can destroy your life. Some folks will do whatever it takes to keep what they have built around them. So-called friends will run for the hills, if they have anything to lose by backing you up. Being a whistle blower can be very difficult.

On Everything I Love

January 23rd, 2011
2:03 pm

Teacher That,

Thanks and Will Do. I cancelled with AFT the other day. I’m on it and I have documentation of misappropriation of Title I and ARRA MONEY. I

Cricket

January 23rd, 2011
2:08 pm

THANK YOU to the whistle blowers! Integrity is not often seen these days. DO what is right just because it is right! Thank YOU! * WOW finally!!!* The AJC is to be commended for putting this on the front page!!!! Please understand that this is not something that only happens in the APS. This happens everywhere!

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm

@ Dr. Craig Spinks…
How can you report wrongdoing to the FBI when the Professional Standards Commission protected the people reported?

Don’t you serve on the Professional Standards Commission?
Warren Fortson and John Grant seem to have this state operated regulatory system under their hand.

http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com

Teacher's Angel

January 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm

Warren Fortson time has past and yes he has been serving two masters and taking APS employees money. APS EMPLOYEES DO NOT USE WARREN FORTSON he has worked for Beverly Hall’s people. You need to file an official complaint with the Georgia Board for Attorney’s to have his license to practice investigated. I heard about him taking that 65 year old lady’s money and not representing her and it is hard to get a lawyer to sue another lawyer to get her money back.

What Goes Around Comes Around

January 23rd, 2011
2:14 pm

@On Everything I Love January 23rd, 2011 2:03 pm

Whew!!!! Someone finally let the cat out of the bag (Title I Funds and ARRA Money).

AJC this is your next investigation…if you have the balls to do so.

Follow the money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SpaceyG on Twitter

January 23rd, 2011
2:21 pm

Question – is the paper stuff exclusive paper stuff?

*(If you don’t get the AJC on Sunday, this would be the day to pick up a newspaper as there is a lot to read, long story on how SACS works, a news piece on APS accreditation, an editorial on APS and two columns on education issues.)*

Or is it online too? If so, where are the links to it all? Shouldn’t it be the other way around, this being 2011 and all… exclusive online and NOT to a paper version?

But I will now refrain from digi-berations…

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
2:22 pm

@ On Everything…

sorry to say it, but you are well and truly stuck.
you do have a few options, but none are very strong.

some things to try – please note, almost all will result in
the torpedoing of your career in north Georgia. but sadly
inaction on your part probably will, too.

1) go public-VERY public. take your case to the media, anyone
who will listen. WGST recently went almost all local. Gwinnett Daily,
Rockdale Citizen, anyone. A smaller outlet is more likely to be
willing to listen than the big boys.

2) find yourself a sugar daddy. as distasteful as this may be, find
a public figure or lawyer in the Gloria Alred mode. someone who will be glad to fight this fight on principal – or for the press coverage.

3) the Ga. Bar should be able to point you toward pro bono legal services

4) if by chance you are female or a minority, consult a civil rights
attorney.

5) if you’ve got the guts for it, get down into the mud with them. if you know of any copyright or software violations in your school, report them.

6) sue them in civil court personally.

and above all, for the love of God, document everything.
I mean everything.
create a very obvious paper trail. don’t make a major show of it, but let the word slip two can play the documentation game.

best course of action here – you’re only course, really – is to work for a stalement with your reputation intact until you can get out of there.

and from this moment on, be as pure as the new snow. don’t be late, lose your temper, take too many bathroom breaks. don’t give them anything additional to use against you.

the truth is they hold all the power, and you can’t win. just lose gracefully.

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
2:23 pm

stay as far away from Warren Fortson as possible

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
2:25 pm

Eveything is the best example of why I don’t trust unions

FormerChipmunk

January 23rd, 2011
2:26 pm

I can tell you, from personal experience, that retribution and retaliation against whistleblowers is rampant in at least one other district. And it’s not limited to teachers; it’s also administrators and other support employees too. I’ve seen a number of good people forced out simply for trying to do the right thing (i.e.; be honest and stop corruption). I was very blessed to find a good job away from GA, before I was run off. The real killer in this is that it feeds all of the sentiment out there that all of us in public education are incompetent, corrupt, or worse. I know that’s not true, having had the pleasure to work with a bunch of smart, hard-working, and passionate educators over the years. But stories like this sure make it look like public education is failing. My sympathy and deep appreciation goes out to anyone who has blown the whistle and has suffered the consequences. You are my heroes!

bootney farnsworth

January 23rd, 2011
2:28 pm

the last thing on the minds of entities like APS, DCSS, BOR is the education of Georgia’s youth.

Jennifer

January 23rd, 2011
2:31 pm

I dare you to find a school district in Georgia that does not behave the same way.

Cricket

January 23rd, 2011
2:32 pm

It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. ~Noël Coward, Blithe Spirit

@ Former Chipmunk

January 23rd, 2011
2:39 pm

Public education is failing our children. Too many children are pushed on without learning or mastering the skills taught in the grade before. They are unable to do well on the CRCT. A test, where you can get a 50% and still be said to be proficient. Imagine what would happen if the CRCT required students to earn 70% to pass?

Public education is failing our children. It’s become a money making business-for administrators, book companies, testing companies, computer companies, and the like-in some states teachers. The real winners should be the children, but time and time again, the adults running the show let them down.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
2:45 pm

I still do not understand why this investigation centers around cheating on a standardized test.
The main issue today:

There is not a proper entity in the system to report wrongdoing on any level.
Professional Standards is as corrupt as the Atlanta Public School System.

“It’s the elephant in the room. If you say anything, you lose your job.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8K2_gA2ots
Reich fabricated Professional Development Plans in less than 6 weeks before an involuntary transfer was issued by APS officials. PDP’s were issued for cutting in the cafeteria line, professionalism, and absences with a doctor’s recommendation. Sam’s pay was docketed for attending the Level 2 hearing with Reich’s supervisor. More than four Professional Development Plans were issued in less than 6 weeks while attempting to appeal APS grievance levels up the chain of command.

Reich’s vile conduct included her interception of lessons Sam sent to the substitute during his absence.
Reich took the lessons and left the substitute with out lesson plans in an effort to create chaos. McCarthy delivered the lesson plans daily. Reich interceded and forbid McCarthy to deliver the prepared lessons directly to the assigned substitute. Principal Reich held all of Sam’s lessons in her office while he was out on medical sick leave. For two weeks prior to Winter Holidays, Reich reassigned Wigdale (Jackson’s special needs teacher) to substitute in Sam’s classroom during his absence. Special Needs classes were canceled during December, 2001.

Mike

January 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm

Jennifer is so correct! This is the way business is done in most GA school systems by and large. Rule through fear. Those that don’t fear have their character assassinated and their reputations ruined. Call them disgruntled trouble makers and spread lies. Harass them and try to keep them from ever working in education again. All to protect the perception of perfection.

Ms.Teacher

January 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm

I think we’re going to see more and more whistleblowing from teachers across the board. It is all too easy and simple to just blame teachers for the decay of our educational system. When in reality, teachers have very little control over what happens in their classrooms anymore from something as small what is on bulletin boards,to the curriculum they teach, all the way to what disruptive students are allowed to stay in their classrooms. EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING in schools is coming from the superintendent through the building administration….if you want to point fingers, look at the people making the policies and inforcing them despite the obscene amounts of money and time they consume.

The young teachers are just scared

January 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm

The young teachers are just scared, overwhelmed, and speechless when told to keep quiet. At my age — if put in situations similar to those in the past, when an APS administrator would demand I memorize a CRCT exam, I would just laugh! Laugh, walk out, and walk all the way to the AJC.

But it is different when you are young. You are scared, you’ve just put years and years of your life into earning your teaching certificate – and then an older administrator puts the fear into you that she, not you, will be believed – and the certificate will be revoked. No young girl/guy right out of college wants the certificate that was just earned to be taken away. They have a way of mind control, a way of putting fear into the young teachers, that causes the silence. I witnessed it firsthand – was a victim, and saw it happen to others over and over.

On a slightly lighter note: I’d love someone to just go through the years and years of credit card bills to examine the Piccadilly charges…and I am NOT kidding! I think the two things that irked me the most as an APS teacher was watching the cheating and watching the credit card get run @ Piccadilly. I would get taken sometimes, try to pay my part, and just get laughed at…only to watch the APS card get swiped. For Piccadilly food! How many 100s/1000s of dollars spent @ places such as Piccadilly?

Piccadilly of all places!

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
2:51 pm

@ No Teacher Left Behind
“I have an Hispanic coworker who is being targeted for standing up to our chairperson’s condescending and racially toned antics. She was assigned on a PDP and is being documented on her every move. And even though she is a superb teacher in her subject, and her students’ AP scores track record is impressive, the administrators are choosing to tarnish her work performance record but she is standing up for her civil rights.”

Concealing Segregation/APS/Jackson Elementary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urvDMBN6y4k&feature=related

http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
2:57 pm

Georgia’s educational problems are not the teachers or the students, it is the mediocre and unwise administrators that are selectively placed in these positions, not by their own merits or expertise but by who they “know” in the system.

and THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION is the failed system “THAT KNOWS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF IT”

PSC / Warren Fortson / Reich / Cesspool of Inequity
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta#p/u/9/b1vFdKXudjM

Who? helped who?…in this political cesspool of inequity. Before helping, did anyone research the information provided??? or Did those in power fall for the manipulation in Reich’s Rhetoric? Did she deceive everyone?…or Was this another neighborhood political favor?

On Everything I Love

January 23rd, 2011
3:04 pm

The young teachers are just scared ,

Nothing has changed. Yesterday it was Piccadilly, today it’s HOT WINGS. I have seen administrators buy food for the 2-3 teachers daily and call it a LUNCN & LEARN to justify. The food is then consumed behind closed doors. You can’t see them but you can smell the sauce!!!

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
3:16 pm

There is a book of documents that went to the Federal Court house…For some reason it was all ignored…DEPENDS ON WHO YOU KNOW…

REICH is still REIGNS as the PRINCIPAL at ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOL-WARREN T. JACKSON ELEMENTARY- 1325 MT. PARAN ROAD.

APS OFFICIALS AND THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION ignored reports and the video taped depositions that proved the following acts were committed by a Northside APS principal:

* Payroll records to obtain a paycheck for the principal’s daughter for almost a year.
* Falsified attendance records of faculty and students.
* Retaliation against teachers willing to report and testify against APS
* Falsified information to obtain a Blue Ribbon School Award.
* Segregation of minority students in Northside Atlanta Public Schools
* Falsified criteria and dates for Bonus Paychecks paid to faculty members.

@ Dr. Craig Spinks…

N.B.: Keep detailed documentation of each episode of retaliation: What? Who? When?
Where? Why?

The e-mail address of the Atlanta FBI office is: atlanta@ic.fbi.gov.

Remind retaliators that tampering with witnesses in state and federal investigations is
a felony.

ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS…DOES NOT CARE ABOUT BREAKING THE LAW.
They are criminals.

Tamika

January 23rd, 2011
3:21 pm

The whistleblower relaliation is why the APS scandal should have been a criminal investigation from the first sign that Hall was stonewalling. The core problem here is that Hall and the board are not FIRST OF ALL committed to what is best for the students. That is the core defect that must be corrected for the schools to function properly. When the Superintendent and the board are utterly dedicated to the student, there is not a focus on blame shifting or retaliation. The superintendent and the board are the problems that must be solved.
The public in Clayton County and in the City of Atlanta have tolerated the intolerable. For whatever reason they looked the other way and school politics, grandstanding and powergrabbing. The voters in every district, at every moment have had the power to fix these messes but has been content with the status quo unwilling to demand better.
The state is not the problem, the voters are.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
3:30 pm

How much more information and documentation is needed?
Call the police…and they will tell you to call the ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOL DETECTIVES.

The Governor needs to step in and criminally charge those involved in the TOTAL cover-up…
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION included.
I spent $150,000 on my case…and was my cost.
APS spent the taxpayer’s money to fight my case.
How much did they spend? Dorsey HOPSON? WARREN FORTSON?

Finally, it has come to this.
How many people need to come forward?
Atlanta Public Schools and the safety net PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS helped to cover-up this Northside rape of a two exemplary teachers.

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENTIRE APS SYSTEM AND THE ENTITIES DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE SYSTEM!
http://www.toppublicschoolcorruptionatlanta.com/?page_id=46

Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta

January 23rd, 2011
3:39 pm

Bootney,

You’re right about the importance of documenting unethical and illegal activities. Like the computer, the tape recorder and the cell phone with video/audio capabilities can also produce credible documentation.

Top School,

Don’t rely on the GAPSC to provide incriminating documentation to the FBI. Whistleblowers need to provide their own documentation, as Bootney suggests.

My experiences with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission suggest that the term “GAPSC investigation” is oxymoronic.

Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta

January 23rd, 2011
3:45 pm

Tamika,

Your insightful analysis would be accurate in more GA public school systems than the APS alone.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
3:48 pm

@ Attorney
@No Noise
@APS Teacher for now

Amen!
A Vile Witch-Hunt at Jackson Elementary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq2yLhdYFDw&feature=related

And this is the leader of APS top school Warren T. Jackson Elementary.
ALL THESE LEADERS ARE STILL RECEIVING A PAY CHECK.

Dr. John Trotter

January 23rd, 2011
3:50 pm

I have always said that school systems are some of the biggest lawbreakers, bullies, and thugs of all time. These folks running the school systems apparently think that just because they have loads and loads of monies at their disposal and can hire law firms to lie for them and to cover up for them, then they can act with impunity. At MACE, we love taking on bullies. I have always detested political, corporate, and educational bullying of all types. I founded MACE in 1995, and I suppose that MACE has always taken on my personality. The employees and associates of MACE are not afraid to take on superintendent-bullies and other administrator-bullies. In fact, we rather enjoy a good fight!

For those who may not be very familiar with MACE, just check out our website at http://www.theteachersadvocate.com and be sure to go to the Archives Section also to see that since MACE’s birth in 1995, we have been fighting the good fight for teachers. There are literally hundreds and hundreds of articles and photos. So, be patient with the loading of all the photos, etc., OK? We hate to discard any article. We have a section called Evaluation of Administrators. This is always a popular page. We name names to forewarn our members. But, this page is in constant need of update because of administrators being transferred and so forth. You may want to assist us on this page. If we have an error, please notify us about an update. Thanks for the kind remarks today about MACE. We just consistently try to kick ass for the teachers in order to protect them and empower them. Because the decks are always stacked against the teachers concerning hearings, law suits, and so forth, we have found that sometimes the best way to keep an administrator in line is writing an embarrassing letter and sending to the school board members and the superintendent (and sometimes putting in on our website) as well as a good, juicy picket in front of the school. It appears that MACE owns the school pickets. Nothing seems to excite the disheartened teachers more than seeing their bullying administrators mess in their pants when the MACE Picket Squad shows up. It is really comical. A sight to behold! My, how the mighty crumble! © MACE, January 23, 2011.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
4:03 pm

@ Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta

iT WAS REPORTED ALREADY…
and the most recent report …

What I don’t understand is this…
Why is Warren Fortson representing the Professional Standards Commission and at the same time representing those reported to the Professional Standards Commission.

The case was has all the documentation needed.
Still it failed…due to the “connected folk” on the NORTHSIDE OF ATLANTA.
DOCUMENTATION? HOW MANY MORE DOCUMENTS DO YOU NEED?
This is the testimony…records? journals? documentation?
Waste of time? STILL THEY WORKED THE SYSTEM TO THEIR FAVOR.

Professional Standards looks as if it is OWNED AND OPERATED BY WARREN FORTSON and JOHN GRANT.
http://www.gapsc.com/Commission/Minutes/June_2010.pdf

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
4:09 pm

@Dr. John Trotter
Yea…show up at Warren T. Jackson Elementary and watch how quickly that neighborhood can silence your picket line.

I don’t think the same rules apply…

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
4:11 pm

I have an embarrassing website…
I don’t think they are capable of embarrassment on the Northside of ATLANTA.
Gov. DEAL does not seem to be embarrassed.

Dr. John Trotter

January 23rd, 2011
4:33 pm

Top School: They were embarrassed quite a bit at Morris Brandon recently. Yep, it works on the Northside too. MACE protects and empowers teachers…one member at a time. Membership has its priviledges.

Lynn43

January 23rd, 2011
4:35 pm

Jennifer, My school district does not behave in this way. I would name my district, but we have more applications now than we can handle.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
4:36 pm

Should we file another report to PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS…

http://www.gapsc.com/Ethics/index.asp
The Ethics Division has a highly qualified team of investigators, many with law enforcement experience, as well as legal and support staff. The division has the authority to enforce the guidelines by fully investigating valid complaints of improper conduct, including inappropriate relationships; mishandling public funds; violating state and federal laws and rules, and other actions endangering or harming students. In addition, the Ethics Division investigates all applicants for certification that have a criminal history to ensure that the applicant presents no threat to Georgia’s children. When appropriate, the GaPSC may impose disciplinary sanctions ranging from warnings to certificate suspensions or revocations.

DO not attempt to ASK FOR OPEN RECORDS …because they don’t provide any!
There are no RECORDS OF THEIR DECISIONS.
CLOSED FOR PUBLIC VIEW.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
4:41 pm

@ DR. TROTTER…
Good for you! HOW LONG BEFORE THE AUTHORITIES moved you out of the fine neighborhood?

chillywilly

January 23rd, 2011
4:51 pm

Whatever happened to the APS employees that blew the whistle on the missing & stolen computers?

What Goes Around Comes Around

January 23rd, 2011
5:56 pm

@bootney farnsworth January 23rd, 2011 2:22 pm

I would not recommend the Ga. Bar Association. They are crooks too. People have filed complaints against Warren Fortson and his unethical practices. As of today, they have not heard from the GA. Bar.

Dr. John Trotter

January 23rd, 2011
5:57 pm

Top School: I don’t think you understand MACE…We don’t move.

@ Dr. Trotter

January 23rd, 2011
6:27 pm

With the amount of corruption in the school system, how can we get our children a better education. I left DCSS after 3 years, because I was tired of seeing kids get passed on who had no right and not being able to teach to math and reading to mastery. How can we do better for the children? It’s obvious to me that not many adults care about the children and their steak in this madness. They are our future. How can we show that we really do care more about them than the current school systems are?

bear claws

January 23rd, 2011
6:33 pm

To “I hate mace” you are the biggest fool, I have read comments on this blog. When the woman of grace leave you need to go with her. This school system is mess up beause of people like you. Who cannot see the forest for the trees.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
6:51 pm

@ Dr. John Trotter
bite down…dig your heels in …and keep on telling the truth…
that’s all we can do.

Nikole

January 23rd, 2011
7:15 pm

@ I hate mace—-You have got to be kidding. B.Hall has helped to create an entire generation of undereducated children.

Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta

January 23rd, 2011
8:03 pm

Dr. John Trotter,

I’m unable to reach the MACE website.

Patrick Crabtree

January 23rd, 2011
8:08 pm

Mr. Trotter, we at AAE have never attacked you nor tried to discredit you and for the most part been on the same page. Please don’t say that MACE was the lone voice, because AAE under Lynda W. Smith and myself have also been crying foul and the abusive nature of the Hall regime. The saddest part of all is that we represent employees who may not live in the city, but what about the cresidents of Atlanta? I am a resident of the city and I care about our citizenry’s voice being overridden by the Broad Foundation. They want to tell us what we need in APS. Aren’t we capable of determining what we need ourselves? Do they pay Atlanta taxes? There push along with the Chamber forced Hallo upon us and Emmit Johnson alng with Kasim Reed made sure she had the power with the changing of the charter. Do we see the big picture yet? Hasn’t this scandal taught us anything?

Laurie

January 23rd, 2011
8:28 pm

Whistle-blowers, thank you. You are heroes.

Elizabeth

January 23rd, 2011
8:40 pm

Pay close attention to how teachers are treated when they try to report wrong doing , whether test cheating or anything else. Also pay close attention to how teacher “tenure” is a joke because they can still get rid of you. Pay close attention to the fact that we have NO union protection to help us. Pay close attention to the fact that, on the teacher’s side ( but not the state’s), the teacher contract is unenforceable in Georgia. And not just in the APS system. In ALL systems.
Then…
Pay close attention to how the state wants to evaluate teachers and administrators using test scores as the criterion for evauation. Then ask yourself what is going to happen when and if this becomes reality. Two things I know for sure: 1. Cheating will increase. 2. The best teachers, the ones who try to do what is right, will be gone, either by choice or by force, despite their so-called “tenure”.

It will happen.

Then— where will education be?
.

Retired Educator

January 23rd, 2011
8:40 pm

APS is not the only school district and administrators that treats teachers like the scum of the earth. Cobb definitely needs to take a look at how teachers are treated. You can start at Russell Elementary and the principal Dr. Nancy Dipetrillo. Just because it’s Cobb, people want to think that they are all that and a bag of chips, but it ain’t so. They will ruin a teacher’s career without a blink or a second thought. Even when open records shows what’s done, they walk away.

How can you sleep at night knowing that you unfairly ruined a person’s career? I don’t get it, and these same kinds of people sit in churches and pretend to be christians.

Check out Cobb. It’s not going away. They do some evil things to people in that school district.

Tired and Disgusted

January 23rd, 2011
8:44 pm

TopSchool great info on the PSC, hate you spent $150,000 to fight APS. That is why the AJC need to find out how much taxpayer money has been spent by APS for legal costs against employees. Let’s not forget APS spent $500,000 without board approval fighting sexual harassment charges brought by an employee against the APS attorney Rodney Moore so there is no telling how much taxpayer money has been spent wastefully. As he abruptly left APS after it was brought to light.

Hey Dr. Adrian Epps on the PSC commission recently worked for APS? Maybe teachers need to get on these boards to look out for each other. There is just too much corruption all around for teachers to prevail in Atlanta.

APSiscorrupt

January 23rd, 2011
8:47 pm

MACE is the only organization that will fight for teachers. But MACE cannot do miracles…MACE cannot change the laws to help whistleblowers get protection. That is the job of the legislators.
Thank you Laurie and others for say kind things about us whistleblowers. We appreciate it.
Heather Vogell and Alan Judd deserve the highest journalistic award available in this country. We as whistleblowers will follow our conscience and do the right thing against all odds but we need help from brave journalists like Heather and Alan to shine light where there is darkness, malice and retaliation.

Tweets that mention APS whistle blowers: Their credibility came under attack | Get Schooled -- Topsy.com

January 23rd, 2011
8:50 pm

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tammy Garnes and TheParentsEducator, Maureen Downey. Maureen Downey said: APS whistle blowers: Their credibility came under attack http://bit.ly/dQkqfi [...]

APS Vet

January 23rd, 2011
8:57 pm

Re:
Retired Educator
January 23rd, 2011
8:40 pm

It’s not just APS. It’s Cobb, DCSS, Gwinnett, Fulton, and so on. The whole state is corrupt!

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
10:02 pm

Yes, I remember RODNEY MOORE…
He is listed in my documentation along with his side kick DORSEY HOPSON.

Hold the STEP UP-STEP DOWN campaign to address all the unethical leadership that has caused the PROBLEM…FROM Northside to Southside ATLANTA. Demand that these parents LOOK AT ALL THE ISSUES that caused the problems…not just those they are comfortable addressing. MANY HAVE SUFFERED GREAT LOSSES TO SEE THIS DAY COME FULL CIRCLE.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
10:05 pm

THEY ARE ALL IN THE SAME FAMILY…
Professional Standards…

If these are the professionals…I AM GLAD I AM NOT A MEMBER.

http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com.

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
10:05 pm

See Facebook page…

Top School

January 23rd, 2011
10:11 pm

@Elizabeth…
LOOK AT IT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM…

This is why I WILL NOT go back to a classroom.
HONESTLY, teachers do not realize the tight rope they walk…They have NO PROTECTION…
My case proved that…It was a test of the systems…THEY DID NOT WORK…
NOT EVEN AT THE FEDERAL COURT HOUSE LEVEL.

IT SCARED ME OUT OF THE SCHOOL HOUSE…if you can question a misuse of public funds…money issue…and go through the hell I went through…what else could happen on other issues challenged?

Suavez

January 23rd, 2011
10:18 pm

Topschool-
Nobody cares what the principal at Jackson Elementary allegedly did to you. Jackson is the best school in APS. I’d love to get my kids over there instead of being stuck with the incompetent teachers at Springdale that we got stuck with after they closed CW Hill. They cheated their a$$ off at C.W.Hill and got rewarded with jobs at Springdale for doing it.

Atlanta Mom

January 23rd, 2011
10:25 pm

For the little it’s worth, to all APS whistleblower teachers (including you Top School – and yes I watched all the depositions and believe you are telling the truth) I am profoundly grateful to you and what you have done to stand up to the corruption surrounding you. Keeping fighting the good fight. I hope more teachers will come forward and tell the truth and that Paul Howard will have the political courage to prosecute.

APS Vet

January 23rd, 2011
10:41 pm

Dear Atlanta Mom,
The system needs YOUR help too! Bring frinds…

APS Vet

January 23rd, 2011
10:41 pm

*friends

Dr. John Trotter

January 24th, 2011
4:29 am

@ Craig: I don’t know why you could not get on the MACE website. I am currently down here sunny Rio and I just got on it. http://www.theteachersadvocate.com (By the way, it is about 7:15 AM here.)

@ Patrick: In no way was I intending to reflect poorly on you or Lynda. I know that both you and Lynda have spoken out against the corruption of Atlanta, and MACE and you and Lynda have always had a very pleasant and good relationship. (Patrick, I think, however, that you and Lynda realize that AAE of GAE has always been a bit more “radical” than the state organization which seems to be a tad reluctant to take on the educational establishment in Georgia, especially since administrators also join GAE.) But, prior to your and Lynda’s presidencies of AAE, MACE was speaking out and acting out like a lone wolf in the desert, heh? As a whole, MACE has probably been seen as strident and over-exaggerating by the State’s powers-that-be. But, MACE has been telling the unvarnished truth. The uncomfortable truth but the unvarnished truth.

Dr. John Trotter

January 24th, 2011
4:40 am

@ Retired Educator: We hear you. Teachers are pretty much treated like dirt all over Georgia, but especially in the urban areas. Cobb is an urban area. Yes, Cobb County teachers too are treated like dirt! Remember that it is the Cobb County Board of Education which in the last couple of years admitted to 57 illegal school board meetings. The school system, under the legal advice of Brock Clay Law Firm, routinely violates teachers’ rights under the grievance law as outlined in OCGA 20-2-989.5 et. seq.

Atlanta, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and Cobb treat teachers terribly. Then comes Muscogee, Bibb, Chatham, and Richmond. There are many other system not far behind. The more urban a system is, the worse teachers are treated. This is the pnenomenon, and this is the truth.

Dr. John Trotter

January 24th, 2011
4:41 am

By the way, Maureen, I still do not see the article on SACS.

Dr. John Trotter

January 24th, 2011
5:33 am

@ “I hate MACE” : As an angry and abusive administrator, you ought to hate MACE. Ha! MACE will get after your weaseling ways!

Dr. John Trotter

January 24th, 2011
5:36 am

Perhaps that ought ot be “weasling” ways. In the vernacular: Get after your ass! Ha! The first thing that we can do to improve public education in Georgia (and elsewhere) is to remove all of the angry, abusive, and just plain ole incompetent administrators. Angry and incompetence are a bad combination.

Dr NO

January 24th, 2011
7:32 am

The whistle blowers now being the target…LOL. So typical and just plain stupid.

Tony

January 24th, 2011
8:49 am

and we want to add even more pressure to teachers and administrators by requiring 50% of evaluations be based on assessment results. who are we kidding?

Elise

January 24th, 2011
9:03 am

Tony..I’m waiting to see the outcome of all this with this new evaluation system. Sadly I expect nothing will change.

Dr. John Trotter

January 24th, 2011
9:33 am

The story about how your friend was treated is why I think that the perpetrators of such fiendish behavior are evil doers. It’s just plain evil works, and yet these same evil doers will masquerade on Sunday mornings like all is well…when they are perpetrating all kinds of evil on their fellow human beings just to save their corporate hides and to be able to drive Lexuses.

This is also why MACE acts so “crazy” (in the minds of the administrators). We get pissed off at such evil works, and we hear about these callous and evil actions daily. A reality show based on MACE’s activities would be revealing and quite entertaining! We have often mused about how entertaining at look at the happenings swirling around MACE would be. But, because of confidentiality and so forth, we would never do it. It would be quite entertaining but the show itself would overwhelm the organization and would impair the purpose of MACE. So, we resist the siren call.

But, have no fear…the administrators know that we are “crazy,” and they have a healthy respect for this — and this is what matters…protecting and empowering our members to do what they always want to do, viz., teach the children.

No Teacher Left Behind

January 24th, 2011
11:19 am

All talk and little action by government leaders will result in absolutely nothing or very little consequences to power crazed administrators:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/principal_blunt_ax_ofn8ZbU9z0euCR3K8PKmcL

Goldfinger

January 24th, 2011
12:33 pm

Whistle blower allegations need to be thorougly investigated, and if the wrongdoing is substantiated the perpetrators should be dealt with. However people who work in government know that there will always be some who make untrue accusations about superiors for one reason or another. Same rule should apply, if you’re caught engaging in bogus whistle blowing just to satisfy a personal vendetta you should suffer the consequences. That’s worlds apart from “reprisals”.

Retired Educator

January 24th, 2011
1:00 pm

Administrators presently have absolute power, and we all know that absolute power corrupts. That is why administrators SHOULD BE EVALUATED annually by teachers and staff. This should go to a neutral location that will actually study them. Goldfinger is right that there could be some untrue accusations about them, but if there is shown to be a pattern of abuse by administrators at a given school, you must know that there is a problem that should be looked into.

The fact that they can abuse the PDP Plan and evaluations to DESTROY A CAREER of a teacher for vindictive reasons is abhorable. Teachers shouldn’t be forced to bear this kind of consequence because someone got made and did what their poison pen had total power to do. Sinful.

Retired Educator

January 24th, 2011
1:02 pm

Last line: …someone got mad…

Top School

January 24th, 2011
5:02 pm

@Suavez

January 23rd, 2011
10:18 pm

Topschool-
Stated…”Nobody cares what the principal at Jackson Elementary allegedly did to you. Jackson is the best school in APS. I’d love to get my kids over there instead of being stuck with the incompetent teachers at Springdale that we got stuck with after they closed CW Hill. They cheated their a$$ off at C.W.Hill and got rewarded with jobs at Springdale for doing it.”

I hope for the sake of any teacher out there…that this type of retaliation in APS will come to an end.You obviously don’t know how this unethical behavior can trickle down to the children…and you are not aware of what goes on behind closed doors at JACKSON. I would hope that any issue of reporting corruption would have a proper procedure for raising questions and a channel of due process without retaliation . Those in APS leadership roles should have the ethical values to implement their own policies correctly.

I do care…That is why I spent my hard earned teacher salary to challenge the system to do the right thing. This was not just about me. Others have suffered and are still suffering.
Shame on you and the others among your community for not stepping up to the plate and requiring the EXCELLENCE you claim your school models.
Reich should join in with the downtown trash…she is of the same caliber.

Top School

January 24th, 2011
5:06 pm

http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com

Private School Guy

January 25th, 2011
6:46 am

I praise the AJC for putting this story on the front page. This has been a long time coming. But the tax payers who fund the schools and the elected officials who control them need to wake up and realize that the entire testing program is not working. If an independent agency had administered the tests we would have gotten real results from the start. If the tests had been given randomly over the course of the year to randomly selected students huge portions of the school year would not have been wasted on test preparation.
When administrators are able recognize real quality in staff and have real power to control who they hire and fire and are held accountable first for the quality of education their schools then and only then will education improve. Testing as it exist today is a sham that only serves to promote corruption.

Spark ghetto

January 25th, 2011
9:18 am

@Topschool-
Jackson is an excellent school. Any APS parent would kill to get their kid enrolled there. You are barking up the wrong tree. I think you need mental help.

What Goes Around Comes Around

January 25th, 2011
11:23 am

@Spark ghetto January 25th, 2011 9:18 am

Did you not look at the evidence presented against your principal? She is a long time crook and always has been. She has no morals and should be FIRED!!!!!

I speak from experience. I worked in administration since 1999.

Top School

January 25th, 2011
11:52 am

@ What goes around comes around…
Thank you for “getting it” …

This NORTHSIDE SCHOOL thinks they are ABOVE APS…AND ABOVE THE LAW.

Forgive them for their loyalty…they too are part of the JACKSON PROBLEM.
They are delusional and think this is A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

Top School

January 25th, 2011
11:56 am

Any someone did “kill” to get their child in JACKSON.
They killed their ethical voice. They paid under the table through gifts and donations to the school so they could attend and live outside the school zone. Their eternal voice died the day they sold their soul to this administration.

APS whistle blowers: Their credibility came under attack

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APS whistle blowers: Their credibility came under attack

149 comments Add your comment

About Get Schooled

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Archives

More from the AJC

Are You or Your School the ‘Best In Class’?

Categories

College resources

All AJC blogs »

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Subscribe »

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