A principal in Clarksdale, Miss., who is accused of directing teachers to cheat on their students’ standardized exams told a state education official that a dramatic increase on test scores was the result of prayer.
In testimony last week during Lawanda Tyler-Jones’ disciplinary hearing, Walt Drane, the state education department’s executive director of student assessment and accountability, said Tyler-Jones indicated in an interview that she had anointed the desks, the pencils, the doorways, and students’ heads with holy water.
Several Heidelberg Elementary School educators told Drane that Tyler-Jones had instructed them to coach students and change their responses during testing.
