5 more APS teachers face disciplinary action

ATLANTA,None — The state agency that licenses and regulates teachers and other educators tells Channel 2 Action News they will recommend sanctions against five teachers to the Georgia Professional Standard Commission next week.

"The Fulton County District Attorney has released those cases so we will be taking them to the commission." said Kelly Henson, Exec Secretary of GPSC.

Henson told Channel 2's Tom Regan the educators could have their professional certification suspended for two years, possibly longer depending on the recommendation of ethics investigators.

The five teachers have been cleared of criminal charges by the Fulton County District Attorney, which is conducting a separate criminal investigation into manipulation and fraud on CRCT tests in Atlanta Public Schools.

Nearly 200 educators were named in the state investigation into cheating. So far, disciplinary action has been taken against 11 educators.

Many teachers, administrators and other APS employees linked to the cheating investigation are on paid administrative leave, which is costing the school system millions of dollars.

The Atlanta Federation of Teachers, which represents 50 teachers under investigation, said it sent up a red flag years ago about the pressure teachers were under to improve test scores.

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"The principals not of them, but many of them would say to teachers, it's going to be my job or your job." said Verdalia Turner, President of AFT.

Turner said the AFT conducted surveys with teachers asking them to evaluate the conduct and performance of principals.

She said the results, going back five years, were forwarded to former school superintendent Beverly Hall and other top administrators.

"The administration downtown never looked at the results," Turner said.

Turner said she recently met with an assistant district attorney to discuss the survey and other concerns of teachers related to CRCT testing.

No one has been criminally charged in the test cheating probe.

WSBTV