This week's headlines have been dominated by a story coming out of Atlanta involving a dozen school teachers wrapped in a cheating scandal. These teachers were on trial for changing student's answers on standardized tests to help the students get passing grades. Principals and administrators were also involved and we are told that after 8 days of deliberating, the jury has reached a verdict.

The jury found 11 of 12 teachers, principals and school administrators guilty of conspiring to change these student's grades. Via AJC reports:

A racketeering indictment could mean a 20-year prison sentence. The other felonies carry prison sentences of as much as five and 10 years each.

The trial stretched five months with 162 witnesses who took the stand. Thousands of pages of testimony was introduced. Closing arguments lasted three days.

The former educators are accused of conspiring to change answers on the 2009 CRCT to artificially inflate scores to satisfy federal benchmarks. The prosecution said bonuses and raises were awarded based on test scores. 

Was this punishment "fair" for these teachers? Are they equal to the common criminal?

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