Cheating Scandal In Atlanta Public Schools

I recently read an upsetting article which was about a cheating scandal in Atlanta public schools. In short, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that teachers and principals erased and corrected mistakes on students’ answer sheets. Area superintendents silenced whistle-blowers and rewarded subordinates who met academic goals by any means possible. As a result, throughout a decade, low scores on state curriculum tests increased high enough to bring national acclaim.

At initial read, this article was hard to believe. I understand that there are pressures by the nation, the state, and the district for schools to perform well on standardized tests. However, instead of putting all that energy into dishonesty, administrators and teachers should have been focusing on how to better prepare and educate the students.

I feel that the students were given a huge disservice, and the adults in this district made a very poor decision with tremendous effects on many. As educators, we not only teach academics, but we strive to teach our students to make wise decisions, to live in honesty, to act with integrity, and to always try our best. The actions of the select educators in this district set a very poor and disappointing example to not only the students of this district, but to the student of the nation. I truly hope from this situation that discussions arise about the pressure associated to scoring well on tests, and that this can be a learning experience for all.