On April 1st, eleven Atlanta Public School teachers and educators were convicted on various charges related to the dramatic cheating scandal that took place several years ago. On Tuesday April 14th, ten of them received their sentences. Two of the teachers, Donald Bullock and Pamela Cleveland, accepted their respective plea deals from Fulton District Attorney Paul Howard. These plea deals reduced the required fine and community service hours and eliminated jail time for Cleveland, but neither educator is allowed to appeal.
The other eight received anywhere from one to seven years of prison time, one-to-two thousand hours of community service, and fines ranged from $1,000 to $25,000. On Monday friends and family members, along with former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, pleaded with Judge Jerry Baxter to not give the convicted severe sentences. Those who left their fates in the hands of Judge Baxter may come to regret their decision, (if they don’t already).
The final educator, Shani Robinson, gave birth on Saturday and thus was unable to appear for sentencing. The jury found Robinson guilty on charges of racketeering and giving false statements and writings. She can expect a sentencing trial sometime in August and would be wise to accept a deal (if one is offered).
Appeals are expected in the coming weeks, but their outcomes are uncertain.
For more details on the dramatic sentencing that spanned two days, see http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/28784747/sentencing-scheduled-in-aps-cheating-case
