Building a foundation to prosecute Beverly Hall for APS cheating
Lots of movement this week on the Atlanta cheating scandal, including news that the district has been billed $127,386 by former Superintendent Beverly Hall for legal fees associated with the state 2009 testing investigation.
The AJC is also reporting that a foundation is being built for criminal prosecution of the former school chief:
A sweeping subpoena shows a criminal investigation has begun in earnest involving test tampering at Atlanta’s public schools and that former Superintendent Beverly Hall could be a target, lawyers said Tuesday.
The subpoena, issued by a Fulton County grand jury, seeks comprehensive information dating back to 1999 regarding teacher transfers and demotions, bonuses paid to employees for improved test scores and copies of complaints from parents, teachers or students of possible improprieties related to Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests. The subpoena also seeks signed copies of “any and all oaths of office” taken by Hall when she was superintendent.
“It’s the first shot across the bow, ” criminal defense attorney Jack Martin said. “This is a clear indication they are looking at criminal charges and that prosecutors are using the grand jury to get the records that could provide circumstantial evidence to support the investigation.”
The Fulton probe follows an investigation by special investigators appointed a year ago by then-Gov. Sonny Perdue into test cheating. Their report found that 178 educators were linked to cheating on standardized tests. The investigators also accused top school officials of destroying or altering complaints about misconduct, trying to hinder the investigation and lying to investigators when asked about their involvement. The governor’s investigators gave copies of their files to Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard, who must now decide whether criminal charges are warranted. On Tuesday, through a spokeswoman, Howard declined requests for an interview.
APS educators and administrators face potential charges of giving false statements to investigators or altering public documents, both of which are felonies with punishment of up to 10 years in prison. School officials who submitted test scores that they knew were false also could face potential felony charges with penalties of up to five years in prison.
The governor’s investigators concluded that Hall knew or should have known that the rising test scores that brought her national acclaim resulted from academic fraud. The Fulton subpoena, which mentions only Hall by name, indicates prosecutors want more information about what she knew or did not know. “It’s obvious she’s a subject of the investigation, ” Martin said. “That’s the only reason you’d be seeking that information.”
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
138 comments Add your comment
Lynch Mob! - with a correction
August 18th, 2011
1:38 pm
Keep it up folks and Hall’s attorney is going to be granted a change of venue. This blog wil be used as evidence that an impartial jury in Fulton county is all but immpossible.
Lynch Mob! - with a correction
August 18th, 2011
2:03 pm
@ Lynch Mob
I think where ever the trial is held the facts will speak clearly to the concerns that many have mentioned on this blog. The bloggers are reflecting only on available information. My intuition, soley based on what has been releasd, tells me that the wrong doing is much more extensive.
Prediction – Thanks to the public awareness (this blog included), this affair will not beatte settled out of court. We will all see justice prevail.
Dr NO
August 18th, 2011
2:04 pm
“This blog wil be used as evidence that an impartial jury in Fulton county is all but immpossible.”
And change of venue would be a bad thing? Tough call.
Laurie
August 18th, 2011
3:00 pm
Former teacher wrote: “Can’t we just save ourselves a lot of time and money and move forward? Nothing good will come of prosecution of any of these people. [Instead, just t]ry not to make any other stupid decisions in hiring and keep a closer eye on what is going on in the school systems.”
By that logic, you would never prosecute anyone for anything. Just fire all the prosecutors, save that money, and put more cops on the street.
Wondering
August 18th, 2011
3:43 pm
Does anyone know how much money has been spent on this investigation? It sounds like the second largest number of interviews in a criminal investigation (9/11 had the most), and it consumed over 20% of the GBI staff. Now there are three DAs looking into the matter.
As for those of you hoping to see Hall in jail, remember that after this large investigation, the report only can say she, “… either knew or should have known.” To me that says the investigators could not make a civil case that she knew. The burden of proof will be even higher in a criminal case.
I could see them taking back her bonuses as they were not earned. They can paint her as blind to the storm going on around her. It doesn’t appear they can prove that she knew about the cheating.
Go back and read the report. It names names and states what facts the investigators believed they could prove. Davis has removed those named. Anyone remaining was not named, but I bet he still held their feet to the fire to make sure he can work with them (trust can only be earned over time). You all can call for the removal of additional people all you want, but Davis has been hired to run the system and call the shots. If they are
Thug
August 18th, 2011
3:49 pm
I got on this site by accident, intending to comment in behalf of my Barrow County Colleague, but saw an opportunity to comment on this situation based on first hand observation.
In 2004-2005 I taught in APS and got my first and ever haunting impression of its leadership approach when I attended the opening of school convocation. During this meeting, with all school district personnel attending, we were shown a video in which Hall bragged that over 50% of the principals had been fired as well as a large number of teachers ( I just can’t remember the percentage). What was her intent? Personnel matters like this are generally kept very low key.
I thought then, and it is now being confirmed, that she was a tyrant, yes a bully, who forced people into unethical behavior. I say forced because jobs are indeed hard to come by, and most will go to great lenghts to survive. The leadership knew this and exploited this fear.
May God Bless,
Macon Teacher
Outcast
August 18th, 2011
4:06 pm
@ Wondering…..I like the logical flow of your position.
However, I must disagree with you that Hall did not know of widespread cheating and the attempts of her top staff to obstruct the subsequent investigation. Top staff who conversed with Hall and Augustine over this will “spill the beans” when the threat of proseuction rears it powerful head. These underlings would never have destroyed documents relevant to an investigation without royal consent. Iron Fisted managment does not allow this to happen!
Lee
August 18th, 2011
6:26 pm
If APS pays her legal bills, they are fools.
The contract provision to provide legal counsel to the Superintendent is there to protect them from actions derived in the normal course of business. For example, if the school system decides to build a new school in a historic area and a group of people file suit against the BOE and Supt in order to stop the building. In that case, the school district should pay for legal counsel to represent them.
I really do not see where it is the responsibility of the taxpayer to pay for Hall’s legal counsel to advise her during the course of an investigation.
Paddy O
August 18th, 2011
6:47 pm
Now we are talking justice – remember, the wheels turn S L O W L Y. You must provide her with due process, then lock the cell.
Paddy O
August 18th, 2011
6:48 pm
Lee – I concur completely. She resigned yes? Contract is up? No legal representation. If I was the APS board, I ‘d vote to cut her off – let her use some of that bonus money she’ll be returning to pay that attorney.
Insightful
August 18th, 2011
6:52 pm
I am on record for predicting a successful prosecution of Beverly Hall.
Her reign is over and her assistants don’t have an endless pocket as she does to defend herself. Her former loyal toadies will not know which of their associates will be cutting a deal to prevent prosecution. Bottom line – they will be racing to stab each other in the back, with the knowledge that the prosecutor will not have use for them if they are not among the first to cooperate.
Sober Point:
In actuality, APS is not the mafia. There will be no fear of death for those who rat; they will talk. There is, however, a real fear of jail that these very soft people cannot handle.
lurrylenny
August 18th, 2011
7:46 pm
Looks like ol’ Bev got over to me..she hit a real lick financially, in salary and bonuses, and now that same APS system has to pay to defend her.
The kids didn’t suffer because of her..the school system in this city has been a terror on children forever. The only reason it’s an issue now is because some investors didn’t get paid. Had everyone “got theirs”, ol’ Bev would still be here and this would be a non-issue.
Legally, there is nothing criminal she can be charged with. The moment she resigned she covered her tracks. So if anything, people’s feelings were hurt, while she snatched a grip fatter than her butt..
That last comment means-collected big money, for those “slangly” challenged.
Top School
August 18th, 2011
7:53 pm
And the beat goes on…Beverly stayed on so she could destroy what records were left. And who let her stay???
The Atlanta Business Community has Beverly Hall’s back…The Buckhead Gang will make sure they cover HALL’S behind and their’s too.
Top School
August 18th, 2011
8:19 pm
You can’t move forward until EVERYTHING is on the TABLE FOR DISCUSSION. SOME POLITICAL EDUCATION ISSUES ARE STILL TABOO. The media only peeled back the top layer of this onion. The core is made up of the politics of Atlanta and the ongoing corrupt activity of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Those of us attempting to use the PSC, have experienced first hand the web of corruption involved in the cover-up of some of the most destructive educational issues reported. Most of the public remains brainwashed into thinking the PSC is the safety net to report unethical issues. Unfortunately, without the publics’ ability to request open records from the state PSC…we remain “in the dark” about some of the most obscene corrupt activity in Georgia’s Education System. The public should demand OPEN RECORDS from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. ASK for TOTAL and COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY to disclose the information about mock investigations whistle-blowers reported. The politics of Atlanta allows “select” schools and administrators immunity and covers up for the sake of protecting the neighborhood’s connected folk.
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
ex aps teacher
August 18th, 2011
9:20 pm
Top School….I agree..many will not know how toothless and complicit the GAPSC is in this problem.
Perhaps the fat cats do nothing good ole boys at the GAPSC will finally get their act together.
Before this scandal broke…when a teacher would complain in writing to the GAPSC about cheating or complain to the GAPSC about unethical behaviour at the top of the food chain in a school district…the stand GAPSC response would be to refer the case to the district’s internal investigate department !
Talk about asking the fox to guard and protect the chicken!!!
Dont forget SACS and the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce is complicit in this too.
Holy Cow!!!!!
August 18th, 2011
9:45 pm
I can’t believe what I just read. Beverly Hall’s lawyer charges $410. 00 per hour, plus expenses. Who in the world made the decision to bankroll this kind of foolishness. And my kid’s school said they can’t afford to give him a pencil if he forgets his. I’m going to bed sick in the stomach.
mo more
August 18th, 2011
9:48 pm
hall will play the race card, get the local black “religious leaders” to get the investigation shut down and come out with big money from a “discrimination” lawsuit. the rules are different for some in “black mecca.”
Low-Life Slime
August 18th, 2011
10:06 pm
@ mo more – I have to respectfully disagree with you.
Atlanta’s black leadership organizations recognized early on what was occurring and rightfully distanced themselves from the horrendous nature of this mess. Hall’s brazenness in systematically denying underserved children by cultivating and then covering up an atmosphere that could only breed cheating is despicable. Over the years thousands of children were denied tutoring and other special help because they had outstanding test score gains.
Shame on this woman and may she rot in jail. I doubt seriously if she will go to jail after hearing about her high falutin lawyer!
Low-Life Slime
August 18th, 2011
10:08 pm
@ mo more – I have to disrespectfully disagree with you.
Atlanta’s black leadership organizations recognized early on what was occurring and rightfully distanced themselves from the horrendous nature of this mess. Hall’s brazenness in systematically denying underserved children by cultivating and then covering up an atmosphere that could only breed cheating is despicable. Over the years thousands of children were denied tutoring and other special help because they had outstanding test score gains.
Shame on this woman and may she rot in jail. I doubt seriously if she will go to jail after hearing about her high falutin lawyer!
@ mo more
August 18th, 2011
10:12 pm
I respectfully disagree.
Atlanta’s black leadership organizations recognized early on what was occurring and rightfully distanced themselves from the horrendous nature of this mess. Hall’s brazenness in systematically denying underserved children by cultivating and then covering up an atmosphere that could only breed cheating is despicable. Over the years thousands of children were denied tutoring and other special help because they had outstanding test score gains.
Shame on this woman and may she rot in jail. I doubt seriously if she will go to jail after hearing about her high falutin lawyer!
lurrylenny
August 18th, 2011
10:19 pm
@no more
I notice how white people quick to say non-white hue-mans will pull the race card..like racism has magically disappeared. As long as we stay in our place, being treated as 3/5th of a human, self-destructing/self-hating, then society is going to plan..but when a non-white person actually achieves it’s a threat.
And yes, ol’ Bev did achieve because how many Black people can get over on the state of good ol’ boy Georgia? She out-smarted and hustled these dummy rednecks down here and you can’t even touch her now..good..power to the people!!
DetectiveAPD
August 18th, 2011
10:21 pm
DetectiveAPD
Some of our city’s most notorious dope dealers are unable to retain the type of legal representation afforded to the superintendent. What is she trying to conceal?
Nanna
August 18th, 2011
10:43 pm
I read that in her Jamaican hometown she is known as “Fats.” Well with the kind of funds Fats has absconded from taxpayers on the backs of poor children, I predict she will only get fatter as she despairs over being widely condemned.
I understand that Fats driven by an insatiable desire to remain in the limelight; yes a publicity whor@ at all costs. Even if your million dollar lawyer keeps her out of jail, she has been forever assigned a seat in purgatory.
Truth Be Told
August 18th, 2011
11:05 pm
Inside Scoop
Hall has made plenty of loot on the speaking circuit. How?
I’ve been told that vendors of no-bid systemic reform packages arranged for her to speak at conferences where she was routinely paid thousands of dollars. The conferences were purposely scheduled to last until Saturday so she could “legally” be paid. No outside pay was allowed on weekdays, Monday thru Friday. It was reported that some of these Saturday meetings had as few 12 people in attendance, and she would speak for 15 – 20 minutes.
She would brag about how her schools have used their products to bring about tremendous gains in test scores for children receiving fee lunches, thereby closing the performance gap between the races. Yes, elementary school children reading three years above grade, but later functionally illiterate upon entering middle school. And, she claims to have no knowledge of what has been occurring.
Your Conscience
August 19th, 2011
10:10 am
MAUREEN
Please provide us with how much money Dr. Hall, excutive directors and principals spent on the following reform models that someone got a KICKBACK FROM THEM:
CoNect
Direct Instruction
Modern Red Schoolhouse
Artful Learning
America’s Choice
Core Knowledge (especially this one)
International Baccalaureate
Sylvan Learning, etc.
There are others.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MIILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN WASTED ON THESE REFORM MODELS THAT DID NOT WORK. Some of our children still cannot read or write.
Maureen you will be surprised at the money that was wasted.
More Money from Good Mother
August 19th, 2011
10:43 am
I attended a meeting this morning with the SRT director, one who is in charge of the reforms. The director reported the APS district is spending ONE MILLION dollars a month on salaries for those teachers who cheated and are sitting on their hands while the investigation continues. APS is bleeding a million a month for those scum bags.
To try to compensate, the district is RIFing teachers, yes a reduction in force is on the way. Teachers will lose their jobs because there is no money to pay them. Class sizes have increased to 25 to over 30 students in grammar and middle school classrooms.
Further still, there is absolutely nothing different regarding test security. All the test security relies on the personal integrity of one person at the school. This test security employee is hired by the principal. So if the principal wants cheating and erasures to continue, it can easily happen. We could go through this mess over and again.
We need outside proctors to administer and grade the tests to ensure we are not bleeding a million a month (and more) on cheating scandals.
Lurry Lenny Brags from Good Mother
August 19th, 2011
10:48 am
Lurry Lenny gloats that ole Bev hall got one over on the taxpayers by stealing. He applauds her for achieving by cheating and says:
“And yes, ol’ Bev did achieve because how many Black people can get over on the state of good ol’ boy Georgia? She out-smarted and hustled these dummy rednecks down here and you can’t even touch her now..good..power to the people!!”
Power to the People, Lurry? Which people? A few black people made out like a bandit but they did it by robbing their own race. So what power are you talking about? The power to steal for a few? what about the loss of power by all those black children who still can’t read? They are more likely to end up in jail than in college. That’s not powerful. That’s pitiful.
…and we aren’t done with ole Beverly Hall yet. There’s still a likely possibility of jail time.
lurrylenny
August 19th, 2011
1:21 pm
@Good Mother
“They are more likely to end up in jail than in college”, is your continued oppressive fantasy..the caucasion’s time is at an end. I intentionally made a grade of F in my “his-tory” classes in grade-school and high-school because of the lies and hypocrisy this nation was built on. Don’t try and put the children in this, if you were so concerned about the children change the curriculum to reflect the TRUE history of this nation..but we all know that won’t happen..don’t matter though, your race of people is becoming extinct..you can’t stop the browning of the planet.
All praises and honor to the Most High and blessings to those that are His children.
To Lurry Lenny from GM
August 19th, 2011
4:30 pm
No, just the facts, not fantasy. Functional illiterates are more likely to end up in prison than go to college.”
That’s a fact. Not fiction.
As far as reflecting true history in this nation, I don’t know exactly what you are referring to but I have my own ideas. We praise Christopher Columbus in this society and we trot him out as a hero who discovered America but the history books I read as a child failed to mention how he slaughtered the bronw innocents South of the border. He and his men literally stuck men and women on spits and roasted them like pigs.
So, yeah, I hear ya. Real history. You’re singing my song.
Top School
August 19th, 2011
7:23 pm
Erroll Davis and the general public BELIEVE THE GA PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION is an ETHICAL AGENCY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM in APS.
Erroll Davis stated: There are three parties with three separate processes to deal with transgressions. We have our own administrative processes which differ by what classification you are. If you are a teacher with tenure, you go into a different process than a principal. But there are due process rights for administrative procedures within APS. Our teachers and principals and our educational leaders, including myself, are certificated by the Professional Standards Commission. You may wonder what sort of standards they have to certificate me, but in any event, [the educators] are certificated by the Professional Standards Commission. They are concerned as well, and all of the names who were implicated in the report will be, or have been, turned over the Professional Standards Commission and they will have their own inquiries and hearings. People who have shredded documents, who have lied to state investigators under oath, or I don’t know whether they’re under oath or not, or whether they’ve just lied, they may be subject to criminal proceedings.
These entities are as corrupt as the FORMER ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOL OFFICE OF INTERNAL RESOLUTION – APS-OIR now defunct. This agency falsified investigations and their information was used to dismiss prior cases reported to the GA-PSC.
Since APS-OIR falsified investigations and used those investigations in FORMER APS -GA-PSC REPORTS that were intertwined in the cases sent to PSC from 1999-2011 …HOW CAN ANYTHING involved in prior investigations be valid?
http://www.facebook.com/notes/john-sam/the-new-aps-firings-should-include-principals-that-falsified-pdps-to-retaliate-a/185554781504131?notif_t=note_comment
Jim
August 19th, 2011
7:35 pm
@ Good Mother – In all fairness I think Hall “got over” on everyone, all races / ethnicities included. Miscreants of her ilk are colorblind when it comes to explotation.
Reading through these pages of comments greatly saddens me. Hopefully, her sentence will serve as a deterent for others in similar positios of public trust.
Teacher, D.H. Stanton
August 20th, 2011
11:15 am
If they are called on, II have co-workers who will tell you about cheating on the NAEP. I know the Govenor’s innvestigation only covers the CRCT, but Dr. Hall said the NAEP is all but impossible to cheat on, and it provides proof that APS students have tremendously improved. To be honest, most of our students are well below level and need all available resources.
I have friends at two other schools and they will tell you the same about cheating on the NAEP. I must say that not all teachers give this test, so not all are involved.
Thank you,
Hard Working Teacher
Coochee Mama
August 20th, 2011
2:00 pm
Leave Ms. Hall’s attorney alone, He is a good GOOD man!
Appalled12
August 20th, 2011
8:02 pm
@ Your Conscience
I agree with you! Hall and her regime benefitted from ALL of those reforms. Trust me they DO NOT WORK…The north corridor only have the IB reform. What does that tell you! The north corridor also did not have any of their media specialists moved back to the classroom. They remained intake while southern corridor is having to share media specialists.The parents in the northern corridor would not have allowed that to happen but the board allowed it to happen to the south end. If Atlanta is too busy to hate, why does it appear that racism still occurs in the school system. Keep in mind that our brown children are still being deprived of a quality education (1/2 @—). Atlanta parents must fight for the brown children in APS and not allow for them to be abused by the powers-to-be!!!! Check out Bev’s husband company. Some interesting info for APS stakeholders!!! Anti-money laundering specialist is just one of his specialties. Read On!
http://www.bljgroup.com/luishall.htm
Let’s continue to pray for the brown children and ALL teachers in APS southern corridor. They really need our prayers because this scandal is deeper than we can only imagine.
Judge Judy
August 21st, 2011
12:12 am
I have never read a blog with so many comments that I agree with. It is tragic that we have an educational system in Atlanta that so closely mirrors something set up and run by organized criminals. It reminds me of the callous disregard that drug dealers have for their victims in pursuing illicit gains. In both instances those that are preyed upon face a life of hellish consequences. This behavior by top officials of an organization charged with providing life changing opportunities for children is vulgar.
We must never allow our schools to be “lead” by such a band of thugs.
Deedee55deet@yahoo.com
August 21st, 2011
4:04 pm
Maureen: Why aren’t you or the AJC checking into how the new superintendent is sending media specialists to teach courses that they are unprepared to teach? These employees have certificates that “say” that they are “certified” to teach English and other subjects, but they are not often “qualified” to this. They returned to their respective schools as media specialists and on very short notice were hurriedly sent from elementary schools to high schools and from middle schools to elementary school,etc. They are being set up for failure….and so are the kids.
blackhat methods
August 23rd, 2011
1:48 am
List monetization suggestions http://ow.ly/69GLq?e=941l86
Socially Cynical
August 23rd, 2011
1:06 pm
Public education isn’t the only area where this kind of cheating and corruption exits in Atlanta. There needs to be an independent IG program that looks at all local government departments for both out and out corruption and for total inefficiency and mismanagement. All you have to do is make a stop by one of the city or county offices to see all kinds of employees there standing around, looking smug and stupid and basically doing nothing. Then, when they do have to help a taxpaying citizen, they offer a look as if they have been asked to crawl on their belly for you! I never understood why we put up with this kind of lousy government service and staff. Don’t we deserve better?
The funniest ones are the city “law enforcement” or “security” employees in the public buildings that are so fat and out of shape they couldn’t stop a breeze of air blowing by them. How do they keep those jobs? I even saw a security “person” in the Atlanta airport using a walking cane because they apparently had some physical issue with walking properly!! What kind of standards are these??