Ex-Atlanta teachers receive steep prison sentences in cheating scandal
A judge on Tuesday sentenced eight former Atlanta public school teachers to up to seven years in prison following their racketeering convictions in a massive cheating scandal.
Three teachers received seven-year prison sentences, two received two-year sentences, and three received one-year sentences, with all the punishments including lengthy probation time after jail. Two more educators accepted deals with prosecutors and received lighter sentences.
"There were thousands of children that were harmed in this thing," Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter said in handing down the surprisingly stiff sentences, adding "It's like the sickest thing that's ever happened to this town."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The defendants were convicted of conspiring to change students' scores on standardized tests, sometimes doing so together at "cheating parties."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 3, 2025
Cartoons Monday's cartoons - TikTok on the hook, DEI dumped, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Organic wines that won't cost the Earth
The Week Recommends From a 'zippy' muscadet to a 'dangerously drinkable' malbec
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Can the UK avoid the Trump tariff bombshell?
Today's Big Question President says UK is 'way out of line' but it may still escape worst of US trade levies
By The Week UK Published
-
ABC News to pay $15M in Trump defamation suit
Speed Read The lawsuit stemmed from George Stephanopoulos' on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judge blocks Louisiana 10 Commandments law
Speed Read U.S. District Judge John deGravelles ruled that a law ordering schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Swearing in the UK: a colourful history
In The Spotlight Thanet council's bad language ban is the latest chapter in a saga of obscenity
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'
Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitution
speed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidence
Speed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulations
Speed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published