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Test helper won't face any charges
By ROBERT KING, Times Staff Writer BROOKSVILLE -- Prosecutors will not pursue criminal charges against the Moton Elementary School teacher who helped students recognize their mistakes during a recent standardized achievement test. Carolyn M. Sunderland, 58, acknowledged helping two students on an FCAT math exam by pointing out problems they needed to rework. It happened on a portion of the FCAT not used in the state's high-stakes grading system, but in comparing students to their peers in other states. In a letter to school district officials, assistant state attorney Bill Catto said the allegations involved a relatively minor test, the teacher stood to gain nothing and that her behavior was typical of a helpful teacher and not that of someone trying to cheat. Also, Catto said the punishment Sunderland has received by the school district -- 10 days of unpaid suspension, a year's probation and an agreement that she can be fired for future test violations -- is "sufficient to deal with the situation and serves the ends of justice." Catto based his decision on the findings of an investigation conducted by School Board attorney Karen Gaffney. Sunderland, who returned to work April 17 after having served her suspension, has declined to comment about the case. In an interview, Catto said it seemed clear that a law was broken. But even with a conviction, he said, a fine would be the most likely sentence from a judge. Jail time, Catto said, would have been an "extreme" punishment that he could not support. "The punishment that was meted out by the School Board is going to cut it for me," he said. "And the lady is put on notice that she can't even have any of these minor violations of the statute in the future." Catto said research shows that no teacher has ever been prosecuted in the 5th Judicial Circuit, which includes Marion, Lake, Citrus, Sumter and Hernando counties, for violating the test security law. He said it's likely that a teacher somewhere in the state has been prosecuted under the test security law. Still, Catto said, he wouldn't hesitate to prosecute a teacher under more egregious circumstances -- such as if a teacher gave answers to a student or cheated in an attempt to manipulate rewards from the state testing system. It remains to be seen whether the Department of Education, through its Professional Practices Commission, will pursue sanctions against Sunderland's teaching license. The Education Department had no comment on the matter. -- Robert King covers education in Hernando County and can be reached at 754-6127. Send e-mail to rking@sptimes.com.
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From today's Hernando Times |
