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@11ALIVE.COM. >>> WELCOME BACK TO THE REVEAL.
>>> A DECADE AFTER ONE OF THE
LARGEST SCHOOL CHEATING
SCANDALS IN HISTORY, EMPLOYEES
ARE IN COURT FIGHTING TO CLEAR
THEIR NAMES.
THEIR NAMES. I SAT DOWN WITH A TEACHER
WORKING TO PROVE HER INNOCENCE
AND THE INVESTIGATORS BEHIND
THE CONVICTION.
THE CONVICTION. >> THIS IS HIS HAND PRINT.
>> Reporter: THE BIRTH OF HER
CHILD WILL BE LINKED TO ONE OF
THE MOST TRYING TIMES IN HER
LIFE.
LIFE.
LIFE. IT
LIFE. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF THE BABY.
>> THIS IS LIKE A LITTLE FLIER
THEY PUT OUT.
IT SAYS HE'S ONE OF THE 11
EDUCATORS CONVICTED AND
AWAITING SENTENCING.
AWAITING SENTENCING. SHE'S EXPECTING HER FIRST CHILD
AND DUE ANY DAY.
>> Reporter: THE BABY WAS BORN
TEN DAYS AFTER SHE AND TEN
OTHERS WERE CONVICTED FOR
CHEATING ON STATE STANDARDIZED
TESTS.
TESTS.
TESTS. GEORGIA USED THE SCORES TO
DETERMINE HOW WELL STUDENTS
WERE DOING IN MATH AND READING
AND OTHER SUBJECTS.
WHICH THE 2009 RESULTS CAME
BACK, STRUGGLING STUDENTS HAD
EXCEPTIONAL SCORES.
EXCEPTIONAL SCORES. >> THE STUDENTS COULDN'T DO IT.
YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT KIND OF
PROGRESS UNDER THOSE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
CIRCUMSTANCES. YET THE TEST RESULTS SAID IT
WAS MADE.
WAS MADE.
WAS MADE. IT WASN'T.
IT WASN'T. IT WAS A LIE.
.
.
. >>
. >> Reporter: FORMER PROSECUTOR
BOB WILSON WAS ONE OF THE
INVESTIGATORS WHO THE GOVERNOR
APPOINTED TO LOOK INTO WHAT
SOME SUSPECTED WAS WIDESPREAD
CHEATING.
CHEATING.
CHEATING. NOT BY THE KIDS, BUT THE
EDUCATORS THEMSELVES.
EDUCATORS THEMSELVES. >> IT STARTED AT THE TOP.
DRVMENT BEVERLY HALL WAS THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SCHOOLS.
>> Reporter: YOU THINK IT WAS
SOMETHING DR. HALL SAT DOWN AND
THOUGHT ABOUT?
THOUGHT ABOUT? >> DID SHE SCHEME IT OUT?
NO.
NO.
NO. BUT
NO. BUT SHE TURNED HER HEAD.
DR. HALL PUT IMMENSE PRESSURE
ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM,
ESPECIALLY IN THE ACADEMIC
SIDE, AND THE PRINCIPALS TO
ACHIEVE CERTAIN SCORES.
AND CERTAIN ADVANCEMENTS.
SHE MADE IT VERY CLEAR SITTING
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, THAT
SHE WOULD EXCEPT NO EXCUSES AND
THERE WOULD BE NO EXCEPTIONS.
.
.
. >>
. >> Reporter: SOME OF DR. HALL'S
OWN STAFF SAID AS MUCH DURING
THE TRIAL.
THE TRIAL. >> MY EVALUATION WAS TIED TO
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. IT WAS A HARD DECISION TO MAKE.
BUT I JUST DID IT AND I KNOW IT
WAS THE WRONG DECISION.
>> I HONESTLY KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE THAT ONE PERSON, ONE
EDUCATOR CAN MAKE IN A PERSON'S
LIFE.
LIFE.
LIFE. AND
LIFE. AND I WANTED TO BE THAT PERSON
FOR KIDS.
FOR KIDS.
FOR KIDS. .
.
. >>
. >> Reporter: WILSON'S TEAM ASK
THE D.A.
THE D.A.
THE D.A. IMPLICATED 178A.
IMPLICATED 178A. P.S.
P.S.
P.S. EDUCATORS IN THE YEARS-LONG
CHEATING SCANDAL.
CHEATING SCANDAL. WERE YOU GUYS TRYING TO MAKE AN
EXAMPLE OFA.
EXAMPLE OFA. P.S.?
P.S.?
P.S.? OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAD
UNUSUAL TEST SCORES AS WELL.
>> ATLANTA'S WAS SYSTEMATIC.
THEY WENT TO MASSIVE EXTREME OF
WRONG DOING AND IT WAS
CRIMINAL.
CRIMINAL.
CRIMINAL. >> Reporter: NEARLY HALF OF THE
EDUCATORS EITHER CONFESSED OR
TOOK PLEA DEALS.
NOT ROBINSON.
NOT ROBINSON. PREGNANT AND ALL.
>> IT WAS HORRIFYING.
IT WAS HORRIFYING.
I MEAN, JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU
WAKE UP ONE DAY AND EVERYTHING
IS NORMAL.
IS NORMAL. AND THEN LATER, YOU REALIZE
YOU'VE BEEN CHARGED WITH TWO
CRIMES.
CRIMES.
CRIMES. THEY COULD LAND YOU IN PRISON
FOR 25 YEARS.
AND FOR WHAT?
I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.
>> Reporter: YOU DIDN'T CHANGE
THE TEST SCORES?
>> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. >>
>> NO. >> Reporter: YOU DIDN'T CHANGE
THE ANSWERS?
THE ANSWERS? >> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. I
>> NO. I WAS ANGRY I WAS FALSELY
ACCUSED AND CHARGED WITH
RACKETEERING.
RACKETEERING. >> IT WAS NEVER OUR INTENTION
TO GET AT THEM.
THIS IS ONE THING THAT THAT ACT
DID.
DID.
DID. IT
DID. IT ALLOWED US TO TRY ALL OF THE
DEFENDANTS TOGETHER.
DEFENDANTS TOGETHER. >> Reporter: ROBINSON NEVER
DOUBTED THE TEACHERS CHEATED.
BUT SHE BELIEVES THE DISTRICT
AND STATE LEADERS USED THE
TEACHERS AS SCAPEGOATS TO AVOID
ADDRESSING LARGER PROBLEMS IN
PUBLIC EDUCATION.
PUBLIC EDUCATION. >> IF YOU CAN PLACE ALL THE
BLAME ON THE TEACHERS,
EDUCATORS, YOU DON'T EVER HAVE
TO FIX ANY OF THE ROOT CAUSES
ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHY CHEATING
OCCURRED.
OCCURRED.
OCCURRED. >> I'M SORRY.
CHILDREN WERE HURT.
FACE THE TRUTH.
STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR
YOURSELF.
YOURSELF.
YOURSELF. THAT ABUSE OF POWER LED TO MANY
A CHILD BEING HURT BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T GET THE EDUCATION THEY
SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN.
>> THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF
CHILDREN THAT ARE STILL IN MY
VIEW, STILL SUFFERING FROM THE
SCORES THAT WERE CHANGED.
I WISH THERE WAS SOME WAY THAT
OUR COMMUNITY COULD GO BACK AND
AID THE CHILDREN.
>> Reporter: BUT TIME KEEPS
MOVING FORWARD.
MOVING FORWARD. ROBINSON'S SON IS NOW FOUR.
ONE MORE YEAR CLOSER TO GOING
IN THE SAME PUBLIC EDUCATION
SYSTEM THAT'S MADE HIS MOTHER A
CONVICTED CRIMINAL, FIGHTING
THE CLEAR HER NAME.
>> I STILL BELIEVE IN PUBLIC
EDUCATION AND I FEEL LIKE THERE
IS HOPE IF WE CAN ADDRESS THE
ROOT ISSUES.
ROOT ISSUES. >> UP NEXT.
>> THE NUMBERS DIDN'T ADD UP.
THEY WERE NOT ON GRADE LEVEL.
>> THE ROAD AHEAD FOR A CHEATED
GENERATION.
GENERATION. >> SOME OF THE CHILDREN MIGHT
BE IN JAIL.