Because the US government has put more weight on the performance of students on standardized tests, teachers have been desperate to get results. In Atlanta, hundreds of teachers have been accused of helping their students to get better scores as well as lying to investigators. The teachers contend that their cries for help have fallen upon deaf ears for more than two years. Some teachers have produced email correspondences to the Georgia Association of Educators where they voiced their concerns and were given false assurances.
For their part in the alleged cheating, hundreds of teachers in Atlanta may be laid off. Investigators believe that teachers used underhanded tactics in order to get their students to pass. Many educators say that they were publicly berated and threatened with disciplinary action if they failed to produce real results. If any teachers in Atlanta are fired, a class action lawsuit may by filed on their behalf.
Many school districts in the US struggle to meet the strenuous requirements set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act. Some of the teachers in Atlanta that have been accused of cheating say that they played no part in the scandal. It is likely that a lengthy investigation will follow, but investigators face huge hurdles. With no witnesses available expect for past students, state investigators may not be able to find enough evidence to substantiate their claims. Several teachers have already retained attorneys and are refusing to make public comment about their alleged involvement in the cheating scandal.
