HISD teachers say they're scapegoats in cheating scandal

05:23 PM CST on Friday, January 7, 2005

By Carolyn Mungo / 11 News

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Some Houston teachers say HISD's investigation of widespread cheating on the state's standardized test is unfairly pointing the finger at them.

There are now 23 schools in the Houston School District suspected of having problems with test scores. Those problems may be tied to cheating on the statewide TAKS test.

Thursday, the district promised intense scrutiny.

"The office of Inspector General will have broad authority to root out any test cheating," HISD Superintendent Abe Saavedra said Thursday.

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Some Houston teachers say they are being targeted in the HISD cheating investigation.

There is anger and frustration as the publicity keeps pointing to teachers as the ones helping kids cheat. The local teachers union says it has files of complaints that prove otherwise.

Key Middle School is one of the schools targeted as having huge gaps in test performance. The union describes a complaint last fall involving TAKS review sheets.

"Last year's test is this year's review sheet, and that's perfectly legal," says Gail Fallon, Houston Federation of Teachers president.

Only, the practice sheet was not last year's test.

"Someone at Key handed out the sheets that the teachers were led to believe were the review sheets from last year's test. Then they realized when they gave the test they were this year's," says Fallon.

The union complained to the district, but Fallon says the investigation went nowhere when she asked for the teachers to be protected.

"Here we now have members that are in possession of the test they didn't know it to be the test, but they still, you know, it's like having the stolen money in your hand when the police arrive," says Fallon.

The union says it also received complaints last year by minimum wage office clerks, claiming principals were asking them to change grades.

It's another chapter in what is expected to be lots of finger pointing as problem schools remain under the spotlight.

This story involves teachers, but the union is advising its members not to talk until full protections are in place.

Meanwhile, the Texas Education Agency is planning to hold a news conference in Austin on Monday. The topic will be Houston test scores.