Prosecutor Kim Ogg announced that five people have been indicted in connection with a teacher certification fraud ring that forced illegally qualified teachers to work in Texas schools.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Monday that charges have been filed in a large-scale teacher certification fraud ring that brought unqualified teachers into classrooms in the Houston area and across the state. .
Ogg said at least five people have already been charged in the multimillion-dollar teacher fraud scandal that led to the fraudulent certification of teachers working in Texas school districts. Three of those charged are Houston ISD employees, including two assistant principals and a high school boys basketball coach.
Ogg said two of the people who paid to obtain the fake certificates ended up being charged with crimes against children. She said one was charged with child indecency and the other was charged with online solicitation of a minor.
“Access through false credentials enabled the crime,” Ogg said.
Investigators said they found hundreds of tests were falsified and about 20 teachers confessed to participating in the scheme.
“While the scope of this scheme will never be fully known, we do know that at least 400 tests were conducted and at least 200 teachers were falsely certified,” Ogg said. Ta.
Prosecutor Mike Levine said he believes the ringleader, the boys basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School, may have made more than $1 million from the scheme. Levin said the tycoon charged $2,500 for each fake certificate, but some people paid more because of intermediaries.
who was indicted
Ogg announced that the following people were charged in connection with the scheme:
Vincent Grayson, 57, is the boys basketball director at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD. Grayson is accused of being the organizer of the cheating scheme and has worked at the high school for nearly 20 years. He is charged with two counts of organized criminal activity. His bail was set at $300,000. Tiwana Guilford Mason, 51, former director/veteran certification officer of the Houston Training and Education Center; Mason’s role as proctor allowed her to keep the proxy scheme undetected. Nicholas Newton, 35, is an assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD. Newton is said to have participated in the scheme as a substitute test taker. He was charged with two counts of organized criminal activity. His bail was set at $100,000 for each charge. Darian Nicole Willhite, 22, a TACTIX supervisor, allegedly accepted bribes to allow Newton to serve as a testing agent. LaShonda Roberts, 39, is an assistant principal at Yates High School in New York. Houston ISD. Roberts is accused of recruiting approximately 100 teachers to participate in the cheating scheme. She was charged with two counts of organized criminal activity, and bail was set at $100,000 on each count.
All five have been charged with two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity. Sentences range from two years to life in prison. Several people have been arrested and others are expected to be taken into custody later Monday.
Newton and Roberts were scheduled to appear before a judge Monday night.
“The most important thing to me is that the ringleaders have been identified and removed from our alma mater school district. The fact that they held positions of power there and were respected by the children is the most important thing. “This is the worst thing about this crime,” Ogg said.
structure
Investigators say the teachers used test-taking agents, people impersonating teachers, and fake test administrators to take and pass the tests needed for certification.
Investigators say Grayson bribed testing center employee Guilford Mason to allow the fraud to take place.
Candidates then set exactly when and where they will take the test. Newton is accused of being a surrogate test taker, taking and passing exams on behalf of people who paid for the certificates. Mr. Levine said Mr. Guilford Mason’s income was at least $125,000 and Mr. Newton’s compensation was more than $188,000.
Levine said Roberts hired and introduced people. He said more than 90 teachers had been deployed to the project.
Ogg said the plan appears to have begun around May 2020, when the pandemic was just beginning. She said the scheme came to light when a former coach who was applying to become a police officer came forward with details of the scheme. He told investigators this was well known among up-and-coming teachers.
HISD reaction
A HISD spokesperson said the district did not know what was happening until shortly before the three employees were arrested.
All three employees were immediately relieved of their duties and placed on administrative leave pending legal proceedings.
“The conduct in question is completely unacceptable and completely contrary to all of HISD’s values,” Director of Communications Alexandra Elizondo said in a statement.
Elizondo said the district is looking into whether other current teacher certifications need to be reviewed and will terminate the contract if it is determined that someone else obtained the certification fraudulently.
She also said HISD police helped coordinate with local law enforcement, but no arrests were made.
HISD statement
“HISD was made aware of the investigation into the alleged cheating conspiracy shortly before the arrests were made. Educators who engage in this type of conduct abdicate their responsibility to students and staff and completely undermine public trust. HISD will continue to fully cooperate with the Texas Education Agency and state and local law enforcement agencies as the investigation progresses, and all three of these employees have been arrested and notified of their immediate removal from service. is scheduled to receive.
“Furthermore, if we learn that any teacher currently working for HISD has participated in this system or fraudulently passed a certification exam, we will take prompt action to terminate their employment with the district.”
Texas Education Agency Statement
“In accordance with State Educator Certification Board (SBEC) rules, TEA will review any information shared by law enforcement and will pursue appropriate action against the educators involved in this scheme. We will make a final decision on possible sanctions.”
See the announcement below.
