ADW ATLANTA DAILY WORLD
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Volume 85 Issue 35
75 Blue Doors Launched Page 3
Roland Martin Honored Page 6
Gladys Knight at Wolf Creek Page 7
Sexual Trauma Conference Page 9
April 4 - 10, 2013
Atlanta educators’ ‘Perp Walks’ Draw National headlines
By ChARlOtte ROy ADW Managing Editor This week more than two dozen Atlanta Public Schools educators did mortifying “perp walks” to the Fulton County Jail to be booked, fingerprinted, photographed – and some put into orange jumpsuits. Thirty-five teachers and administrators made national headlines as they were indicted on criminal charges that include racketeering, theft by taking and making false statements about their BEVERLY HALL roles in an alleged plot to falsify students' standardized tests. The leader of the group, former Atlanta School Superintendent Beverly Hall, checked in late Tuesday afternoon, and was immediately released on $200,000 bond. Hall served as Atlanta's superintendent for more than a decade. She is alleged to have received nearly $500,000 in bonuses in addition to her salary before she retired in 2011. She was named Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators in 2009 and credited with raising student test scores and graduation rates, particularly among the district's poor and minority students. But the award quickly lost its luster as her district became mired in the scandal. In 2011 a state investigation found cheating by 178 educators in 44 Atlanta schools. Educators gave answers to students or changed answers on tests after they were turned in, investigators said. Teachers who tried to report it faced retaliation, creating a culture of ``fear and intimidation.'' Page 3
General Assembly GOP Flexes Power: Redraws Districts in Fulton County
By ADW Staff The Georgia General Assembly adjourned the 2013 session last week with the Republicans having flexed their power to impose redistricting legislation on Fulton County. The GOP plan to redraw Fulton County Commission districts sailed through the Senate over the objections of Democrats who called it both racist and a power grab. “I think what we’ve done today represents the interests of the majority of people in Fulton County,” said Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta). Democrats, however, said the bills are about politics, not reform. “All of this is pursuing a narrow agenda to take a minority-majority county and strip power from the people of that county,” said Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta). That’s been a common Democratic theme as the General Assembly debated a series of Republican bills designed to reshape Fulton County. House Bill 171 eliminates an at-large county
commission seat and creates a new north Fulton district. It also places two incumbent Black Democrats in the same district. And though Democrats hold a 5-2 majority on the commission, the new districts could give Republicans a shot at a majority. “Today we helped the people of Fulton County have more people in districts, which means elected officials will be more closer to them,” said Sen. John Albers (R-Roswell). “And that’s always a more positive thing.” Democrats portrayed the plan as a racist attempt by White Republicans to seize power from Black Democrats. They plan to ask the U.S. Department of Justice, which reviews election changes in Georgia, to reject the redistricting plan. “If the Voting Rights Act means anything, it means you cannot dilute the right of African Americans to elect the candidate of their choice,” said Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta). In a final flurry of voting, the Assembly also addressed the
following legislation LOBBYING RULES: Leaders in the House and Senate reached a compromise on lobbying rules. Under the plan, lobbyist expenditures would be limited to $75. People would have to register as lobbyists if they are paid to influence government officials or if they accept more than $250 in reimbursements for their lobbying expenses. Both chambers approved the deal, sending it to the governor. Page 3
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