Calls for Ouster of Chamber President in Cheating Scandal

The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and its President Sam Willams are under fire from a State Senator and the Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation for their possible role in the Atlanta public school cheating scandal.

Speaking Wednesday on the possible Chamber of Commerce involvement in the CRCT cheating scandal, Ga. State Senator Vincent Fort, (D-Fulton Co.) said:

“Mr. Williams and his staff decided that it was best to spin the situation. Not to be honest with it–not to be open with it–not to be direct, but to protect Beverly Hall. Protect the cheaters; protect people who were doing the wrong things.”

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In an email to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, John Sherman, the head of the Fulton County Taxpayers Foundation, said if Williams did not step down he would seek an inquiry into the role of the business community in the cheating scandal.

He questioned an investigation by a so-called Blue Ribbon Commission–made up of Atlanta business leaders into the cheating scandal.

Citing the Commission, the Governor’s Investigative Team said in the “Business Community” section of its 3 Volume Report:

“The Blue Ribbon Commission was never likely to uncover the truth because the scale of the problem in the Atlanta Public Schools was too deep given the limited resources available and the time restrictions on the Commission’s work.”

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