Remaining defendants in Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal withdraw appeals

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The last teachers indicted in a massive cheating scandal at Atlanta Public Schools withdrew appeals of their convictions Tuesday.

Five defendants appeared before a Fulton County judge. “It sincerely hurts me that it had to end this way. Yes, I take responsibility,” one of the defendants said Tuesday.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Notorious Atlanta school cheating case still lingers a decade after initial indictments

The scandal centered around changing answers on a 2009 standardized test. In 2011, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation found that educators at 44 Atlanta Public Schools cheated. While 178 teachers were implicated, 35 were formally indicted and accused of cheating. Twenty-three educators eventually confessed. Twelve went to trial, and 11 were ultimately convicted in a trial that lasted eight months.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who was assistant district attorney at the time, prosecuted the case using the state’s RICO Act. During Tuesday’s hearing the defendants spoke out and apologized to the students who were impacted.

“To the children of Atlanta, I am writing this letter as my personal apology to the students in Atlanta Public Schools and to take full responsibility for my actions in this case,” one of the defendants said. “As a former teacher, it was my duty to ensure a high ethical standard.”