Crispus Attucks teacher accused of cheating

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A standardized test cheating scandal at Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High school makes that school the second in as many weeks to find itself in the middle of a Department of Education investigation.

Algebra teacher Joshua Woodward is accused of providing test questions before the end-of-year assessment. Woodward's students had to retake the math portion of the test Thursday.

Meanwhile, Woodward has been suspended since Monday - accused of giving his students a practice test that some allege crossed the line.

"The practice test that he created had two items that were exactly the same as the operational test that is administered to the students," said Kim Hooper, an Indianapolis Public Schools spokesperson.

Getting test questions before the test is cheating. But was the cheating intentional? That's the question Department of Education investigators are trying to answer.

Critics contend that high-stakes testing pushes some teachers to bend the rules. It's an argument state School Superintendent Tony Bennett flatly rejects.

"First, I would ask any teacher, would they accept that as an excuse from a child?" said Bennett.

But this is the second cheating scandal to make headlines in as many weeks. Investigators want to know if the state test was compromised North Central High school as well.

24-Hour News 8 asked Bennett whether he believes these two cases are indicative of a growing problem.

"I would argue that this is two cases,” he said. “We have 1,850 schools, and we're talking about two cases.”

The vast majority of the state's teachers are exemplary, he said.

But when asked about the number of cheating investigations the state Department of Education has conducted during Bennett’s tenure, his spokesperson Alex Damron wrote in an email: "The information you seek is part of an ongoing investigation process."

Bennett did say he takes cheating seriously.

If found guilty of cheating, teachers could be fired and have their licenses revoked. And that's not all. Because cheating costs the state money, cheating teachers could face financial consequences in addition to losing their livelihood.