Educators Involved In Cheating Scandal Received Harsh Sentences

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Despite pleas from various organizations and personalities, Judge Jerry Baxter did not change his decision. All educators involved in one of the country’s most severe cheating scandals were given harsh sentences.
He did, however, offer the accused a plea deal before emitting the sentence. Most of the educators did not accept the deal and are now faced with jail time.
The defendants are accused of a series of charges from increasing test scores to fraud. Prosecution demonstrated that the educators, principals and the people involved in coordinating the test have all increased the scores of those in middle and elementary schools that had shown difficulties in passing.
The reason behind these frauds was to earn bonuses or promotions. Others did it out of pride while others simply wanted to keep their jobs.
The moment the accused were asked to line up in order to receive their sentences was when everything turned into scandal. Many of the accused refused to admit their guilt, although prosecution presented clear evidence against them. The judge even needed to raise his voice a few times. On one occasion, he said:
“There were thousands of children that were harmed in this thing. It’s like the sickest thing that’s ever happened to this town.”
There were some situations during which the defense started shouting back, saying imprisonment is too drastic for someone who did not commit a violent crime. Judge Baxter answered back by saying that this fraud affected thousands of children, at one point stating that the situation was “incredible” and that some of the kids can’t even read.
According to Reuters, similar cheating scandals occurred in 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia but that the accused were rarely imprisoned.
However, Judge Baxter considers that this was a crime with many victims. Out of the 11 accused educators who refused the plea deal, three received 20-year sentences (seven years would be served in jail and the other 13 on probation). The other eight were given sentences ranging from 2 to 5 years.
Two of the accused accepted the plea deal. Donald Bullock, testing coordinator, was given “5 years of probation and 6 months’ worth of weekends in jail”, 1,500 hours of community service. She was also handed a series of fines. Teacher Pamela Cleveland has been sentenced to one year of home confinement 1,000 hours of community service and she needs to pay a $1,000 fine.
Image Source: SALON

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