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Dougherty cheating scandal claims principals
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ALBANY — The Dougherty County School Board said two elementary school principals have resigned and two teachers have been terminated in the wake of allegations of widespread cheating.

The Albany Herald reports (http://bit.ly/wUoQdW ) the board held a special meeting on Wednesday evening, unanimously approving the acceptance of resignations, terminations and temporary reassignments.

The newspaper said the school board accepted the resignations of Principal LaZoria Brown of Jackson Heights Elementary and Principal Alene Pringle of West Town Elementary. It also reported that Jackson Heights teachers Vernell Lowther and Angela Scott were terminated.

Three principals — Carolyn Scott of M.L. King Elementary, Jose Roquemore of Dougherty High and Angela Schumate of Albany High — have been temporarily reassigned while their status is being determined.

Thirteen teachers are being moved to the Isabella Complex on Monday until their cases are resolved. Superintendent Joshua Murfree said he expects to meet with those teachers on Thursday.

"You have to remember that of the 1,247 teachers in the Dougherty County School System, less than 3 percent are accused of wrongdoing," he said. "But cheating is cheating and it will not be tolerated."

State investigators have said dozens of educators in 11 schools in the south Georgia school system either cheated or failed to prevent cheating on state standardized tests in 2009. In all, 18 educators admitted to cheating, but investigators say 49 were involved in some way.

 

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