CRCT Conversation Creates Controversy
Jennifer Emert, WALB, January 18, 2012
An audio recording provides a look into the mindset of a man hired to look into cheating at Dougherty County schools.
James Wilson, the man our school board hired to conduct an investigation, is heard on the tape berating and threatening a high ranking state official for even bringing to light the biggest cheating scandal in Georgia school history.
It appears Wilson is unhappy that the state even flagged the cheating.
The conversation was between the former Governor’s Office of Student Achievement Director Kathleen Mathers and a man who conducted Dougherty County’s CRCT investigation along with reports prepared for other systems, the educator called it Gestapo tactics, but board members disagree.
Wilson insists the state’s erasure analysis was unfair.
Mathers: SO WHAT ARE YOU SAYING — DON’T LOOK UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR?
Wilson: NO, I’M SAYING WE SHOULD HAVE FIXED THE CAR BEFORE YOU LOOKED UNDER IT.
Wilson even berated Mathers and implied the investigation would damage the careers of Mathers and her assistant.
Wilson: YOU’LL PAY DEARLY FOR IT. I’D LOVE TO HELP YOU, BUT IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE IN AN ERASURE ANALYSIS THIS STRONGLY THAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THIS . . .
Mathers: UH, HUH . . .
Wilson: .THEN IT JUST SHOWS ME THAT YOU’RE INCOMPETENT OF WHAT YOUR JOB IS ENTITLED, AND THAT’S A SHAME, THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH BIG TITLES THAT DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING.
Then this:
Wilson: I HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE BASED ON HOW WE FINISH THIS CONVERSATION AND WHERE I GO FROM HERE. AND REMEMBER, I’M THE OLD GUY. I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE. I REALLY WANT TO BE PART OF HELPING MAKE THIS GOOD. BUT I CAN GO WHEREVER I NEED TO GO.
Mathers: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
Wilson: I’M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ANY THREATS, BUT LET ME TELL YOU: I CAN GET THERE.
After the state reported cheating in Dougherty County schools, the board hired James Wilson as an independent investigator. {snip}
{snip}
Dougherty County is still waiting on evidence from the state’s investigators before they can deal with 13 teachers and principals currently out of the classroom and at the Isabella Complex after state investigators say they admitted to cheating.
[Editor’s Note: See the original article to watch the full video report.]
