Atlanta Public School teachers convicted of crimes in the cheating scandal and their supporters spoke Monday in their sentencing hearing. It turned into an emotional day for defendants, their friends and family who pleaded for mercy, and Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter, who wavered between sympathy and anger as some denied culpability.
These quotes illustrate the back-and-forth as the hearing progressed.
Baxter to Benjamin Davis, lawyer for Tamara Cotman, early in the day: “I’m not giving these folks 20 years.” (But Baxter didn’t say how much prison time he contemplated for the 10 defendants.)
Cynthia May, an administrative assistant for Sharon Davis Williams: “This is simply not the Dr. Williams I know and respect. I’ve never questioned her professionalism or her integrity. I’m pleading for you to show mercy to Dr. Williams.”
Natasha Oglesby, 28, a former student of former Dobbs Elementary principal Dana Evans, called Evans years later from the Five Points MARTA station when she was homeless with her baby son. No one else, not even her family, would come for her. Evans did: “Dr. Evans is about the second person that I’ve ever known who does not have a bad bone in her body.”
Baxter to Evans: “I think your case is probably the biggest tragedy of all of them … in my personal view sitting up here. Anyway, I’m sorry. And I want to tell you I consider you a wonderful educator, and that is what makes it so sad. You were under so much pressure.”
Evans: “My words were twisted … I know you want to hear an admission of guilt, but I can’t say that because it is not the truth. But I do want to say I’m sorry.”
Pastor Harris T. Travis, speaking for Williams: “Being a former educator in higher education, the worst thing that can ever happen to one when you lose your job, lose your license, that itself is a sentence for life. Sharon Davis Williams is not a criminal.”
Edward Scott testified of the good qualities of his friend, former testing coordinator Donald Bullock, such as his community service. Scott began talking of things going off the rails in the school system without referring to his friend’s role. Baxter responded: “Were you here to hear the evidence against Mr. Bullock? Did you hear the young teachers that testified about what happened in that school? He should have gotten off the train.”
Kristen Pitts, the daughter of former APS regional executive director Michael Pitts to Baxter: “I understand the decision (the jury has) made against my father, however I just don’t agree. As we were taught when we grew up, excuses lead to failure.”
Baxter: “I don’t appreciate anybody attacking the verdict.”
District Attorney Paul Howard, addressing the court at the end of business, when Baxter relented from his original plan to sentence the educators to prison Monday: “The only thing that we have asked is some acceptance of responsibility for what you have been convicted of now … I am hoping that we may get someone to do that … and those who accept responsibility, their sentences ought to be different from those who don’t.”
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