Exposing Grade-Fixing: Teachers Speak Out Against Academic Fraud In New Jersey

❗ Whistleblower lawsuit alleges mass conspiracy in Asbury Park
❗ NJ teachers sound off on widespread grade fixing
❗ Falsifying grades may be statewide problem

When four former administrators in the Asbury Park School District filed a lawsuit alleging there was a vast conspiracy to fake student grades and other records I asked teachers for their reaction.

I couldn't have imagined the number of teachers who called in from all around the state saying what was happening in Asbury Park was not unique to that district.

Teachers lined up to tell their stories about being pressured by school administrators to raise student grades, falsify attendance records and urged to pass kids that did not meet basic academic standards to graduate.

Many of these teachers wanted to remain anonymous to avoid retribution from the administrators in their district. Their stories were all so similar it is hard not to imagine the pressure to change grades and move students through to the next grade or graduation is the new reality in the classroom.

A teacher from Forked River called to express her frustration with this new reality.

"I'm in a good district that has a good standing, but we as teachers basically cannot fail kids and the absence problems are worse than ever and there's no accountability!"

A 20-year veteran teacher told me there are private chat rooms on social media where teachers can commiserate with each other about how conditions in the classroom have deteriorated. She says many educators have just given up.

"Every teacher I know has just given up as far as trying to fail or give kids bad grades. Schools know they can’t do anything about kids not attending. The chronic kids fall so far behind every year and schools can’t do ANYTHING. God forbid you fail a kid or give them low grades."

"As a 20+ year veteran its gotten worse past few years. The whole system needs overhauling."

A teacher from Middlesex County says she knows from her colleagues this IS a statewide problem.

"We are not allowed to fail students. Our attendance numbers are changed by administrators and behavior incidents are not reported."

Whether by pressure or actual policy, it's clear the goal in every district is to show good numbers to the state.

What is worse: many of the kids have figured out how to use this to their advantage.

An anonymous teacher in Egg Harbor Township said, "My district has a policy that you can not give a grade below a 50. Students who do not complete the assignment also get a 50. The students have figured out mathematically how to do the bare minimum to get by."

Follow the Money

When school funding is tied to performance, it's not a big leap to believe administrators will push to raise performance by any means possible.

Combine that with many school administrators who have lucrative salary bonuses tied to student performance and it make it even more likely that pressure is coming down from the top.

Amy, a teacher, told us, "I work for a very prestigious school district in Somerset County and I can 100% tell you that our superintendent gets the most insane bonuses for attendance and school performance. It is mind blowing the amount of money this man is getting paid on top of his regular exorbitant salary."

Amy wasn't the only one to link the lack of academic accountability to administrator salaries.

Another teacher from Central Jersey told me, "In my opinion this is happening because New Jersey Superintendents are given bonuses ABOVE their reported pay when their attendance numbers, suspension numbers and passing grades are at certain percentages. The better the numbers, the higher the bonuses paid to the Superintendents."

Frustration and Support

After hearing the stories from teachers, many callers expressed frustration over the current state of education.

Many also blamed parents who do not take an active role in their kids education or support their local teachers.

Connie, from Greenbrook, asked, "How can you educate a generation of students when their parents don’t value education and don’t care if their children actually attend school? Teachers aren’t perfect, but they are hamstrung by state rules and guidelines."

Anne, from Brick, says parents can play such a crucial role in their kids education by empowering their teachers.

"Parents need to support and fully back the teachers to correct the behaviors of our children. We should collectively WANT to guide students to be productive members of society and thrive in this world. As a parent myself, I hear so many stories of parents battling the teacher/school over nonsense and then everyone else suffers for the sake of the trouble maker. It's a disservice to the child because the real world doesn't work that way and it creates a lifetime of victim mentality."

Hearing the stories from teachers all over New Jersey reinforced my unwavering support for what they do, and angry at the conditions under which they are forced to do it.

New Jersey has a massive teacher shortage. This doesn't help.

Being a teacher is often a calling, and one of the most noble in our society.

Given what we have heard from the teachers currently in our classrooms, don't you wonder why anyone would answer that call?

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