APS Indictment Separates Charges by School

Criminal defense attorney and WABE legal analyst Page Pate says breaking up the charges school by school could mean some defendants opt to have some charges removed.

“Some of these individuals who may have been affiliated with one school, but not the other school may request a severance to get out of the big indictment or separate consideration.”

All of the schools in the indictment are also some of the schools originally flagged by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement in 2010.

For example, based on the 2009 CRCT exam, Gideons Elementary School, located in SW Atlanta, was listed as Category 1 school wide problems.

88% of the classrooms were flagged in the state analysis.

When special state investigators concluded their probe, 12 people confessed to cheating at Gideons and that includes then principal Armstead Salters.

He confessed to knowing about cheating.

In 2008, Armstead Salters was named Principal of the Year by the National Alliance of Black School Educators.

Now, he must surrender to authorities at the Fulton County jail.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard believes educators like Salters were part of a bigger conspiracy to cheat.

He says it would not have happened without former superintendent Dr. Beverly Hall.

“This took place in 58 of the Atlanta Public Schools and it would not have taken place if her actions had not made that possible.”