The first time she met with Atlanta Public Schools principals, Beverly Hall told the principals in 1999, “I know how to swim with the sharks.”
In that moment, Hall demonstrated the hard edge she would bring to a school district known for weak academics and chaotic management. Now, though, as she heads into retirement Thursday amid a massive cheating scandal, her comments also illuminate the origins of the by-whatever-means-necessary drive for results that Hall imposed on the district’s educators.
In between, that approach earned Hall wide acclaim, including one of her profession’s top awards: National Superintendent of the Year. And, a review of Hall’s tenure shows, it created the atmosphere that fomented the cheating scandal.
A convergence of events this week brings fresh perspective to Hall’s performance over 12 often-tumultuous years.
In Sunday's newspaper, the AJC takes a deep look at Beverly Hall's legacy with Atlanta Public Schools. It's a story you'll get only by picking up a copy of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution or logging on to the paper's iPad app. Subscribe today.
About the Author
