As one educator after another testifies about the brazen tactics used to cheat Atlanta schoolchildren, one question looms: What will become of former Superintendent Beverly Hall and her leadership team?
The former Atlanta school chief has made only a handful of public statements since a state investigative report running more than 400 pages was released in July alleging widespread cheating in APS. The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office has an ongoing grand jury investigation into the alleged misconduct, and DA Paul Howard has declined to comment.
“This is a complex and active investigation. As such, it would be unfair to offer premature public comment on the matter,” Howard said last week in a statement issued to Channel 2 Action News. “Upon the completion of our investigation, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office will offer full disclosure of our findings to the public. In the interim, we remain committed to the task of completing a thorough and fair investigation for the benefit of all involved.”
Some who have watched this case unfold say it won’t truly be resolved until a decision is made about whether Hall is held accountable for what’s being called the largest school cheating scandal in American history.
“Everyone is wondering what happened to Dr. Hall,” said Ramon Reeves, president of the Atlanta Association of Educators and a science teacher at North Atlanta High School. “People are feeling that the situation is unresolved, that she was the leader and she was the crux of what was going on.”
Questions about Hall and her top lieutenants are resurfacing as some teachers accused of cheating are attending hearings to fight for their jobs. Many say they felt pressured to cheat by a punitive culture that started at the top.
The special investigation accused about 180 educators at 44 schools of some degree of cheating. As of last week, about 85 have retired or resigned, two have been fired, and about 25 are scheduled to have a tribunal hear their cases.
The Professional Standards Commission, which licenses Georgia educators, voted to sanction about 80 teachers and education leaders by suspending or revoking their certificate.
The investigation concluded that Hall “knew or should have known about cheating.” Hall, through her attorneys, declined to comment for this article. In previous statements, she has apologized for what happened in Atlanta, but denied she knew about or orchestrated it.
In November, Hall told NBC’s “Rock Center” that she accepted responsibility for not anticipating that more testing security and protocols were needed.
“But ultimately, the person who cheated is the person who is responsible for their actions,” she said. “I hope that if I were to do this again that I would learn from this, that I have to anticipate that people will be devious.”
Since then, Hall has declined to comment and has kept a low profile. Neighbors say she is still living in her Buckhead townhome, but attempts to contact her there were unsuccessful.
At-large school board member Courtney English said the district now has great leadership in new Superintendent Erroll Davis and is moving in a positive direction but needs this “painful saga to be over.”
“The city’s image has been blemished,” he said. “I think people want it to end as quickly as possible.”
The once-celebrated Hall retired as superintendent in June. Some of the top officials who served under her are still under contract and being paid by APS, while others have had trouble securing new employment:
● Former Deputy Superintendent Kathy Augustine, Hall’s top adviser, resigned as superintendent of the DeSoto Independent School District after one day on the job. She and the Texas district reached a severance agreement paying her $188,000.
In the Atlanta investigation, she was accused of making false statements when questioned about cheating. Investigators said Augustine knew or should have known that cheating was going on. Several attempts to contact Augustine were unsuccessful, including a visit to her Tucker-area townhome.
● Three former area superintendents — Sharon Davis-Williams, Michael Pitts and Tamara Cotman — are still on the APS payroll. They earn six-figure salaries. Each was issued an intent-to-fire letter months ago, but no hearing has been scheduled.
District officials say they haven’t decided what actions will be taken regarding the former area superintendents. All three were accused in the state investigation of failing to properly monitor the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests. Investigators also claimed the three knew or should have known about cheating. They deny any wrongdoing.
● Millicent Few, former chief of human resources, secured a consulting job in a Connecticut school district, but was let go after the superintendent there learned of the allegations against her in the Atlanta cheating case.
Few is accused of illegally ordering the destruction or alteration of documents and making false statements to investigators. Few could not be reached for comment, but previously denied to investigators that she tampered with documents or ordered anyone else to do so.
Some are ready to move on from the cheating scandal. Gladys Hardnett Thomas, a grandparent of an APS student and a volunteer, said she trusts “the pros” will determine what should happen to Hall and others. She has chosen instead to focus on making the district better in the years to come.
“My concern is making sure they deal with discipline problems at the school, and staying more involved as grandparent volunteer,” she said. “Life goes on. I am too old to dwell on things in the past.”
Staff writer Ernie Suggs contributed to this article.
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