A former Atlanta high school registrar says she was fired for reporting improper grading practices at Booker T. Washington High School.
In a whistleblower lawsuit filed agaianst the district this week, former registrar Ailisha Jones says that hours after she reported the problems, a school administrator drummed up a false accusation to get her fired.
“They didn’t want the complete story to come out. They just wanted her out of their school,” Jones’ lawyer Harry Daniels said. Jones is seeking millions of dollars in back pay and damages, Daniels said.
An Atlanta Public Schools spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit. The school administrators also named in the suit — Washington High School principal Tasharah Wilson and assistant principal Tracy Harrell — did not respond to messages from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The AJC has reported on how APS' lax supervision of grading practices led to a host of problems.
The alleged grading problems at Washington and other schools took place even as APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen vowed to change the culture of a district where dozens of educators were indicted in connection with a test-cheating conspiracy.
But Daniels, the former registrar’s lawyer, said little has changed within Atlanta schools.
“It may be a new day, but they’re up to their same old schemes,” he said.
