HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — One day after an alleged teacher certification scandal was announced in Houston, all charged suspects made their first court appearance on Tuesday.
We continue to learn more about what unfolded as the Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirms a statewide scheme was concocted to give hundreds of paying teachers a pass on their certification.
We still don’t know how many, if any, Houston Independent School District School teachers are among the more than 200 teachers who benefitted from this scandal and paid the $2,500 to get a pass on their certification.
RELATED: $200K bond set for 2 of 5 suspects accused in teacher certification cheating scandal
The Texas Education Agency is not providing a list of those teachers tied to this situation, citing the investigation.
The DA’s office says five people are facing charges in this teacher certification cheating scandal.
Among them are three HISD employees who have now been relieved of their duties. HISD confirmed Monday those employees will remain on paid leave for the remainder of the proceedings.
One includes the man who was deemed the mastermind behind the plan.
Vincent Grayson, 57, the head boys basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School. Grayson is accused of bribing employees at test sites and two HISD assistant principals to help him carry out the four-year scheme.
“It is alleged between May 2020 and February 2024, you charged teachers $2,500 to arrange for the teachers seeking certification to check in at the testing location, and that teacher left, and someone else would take the certification test,” a hearing officer said in Harris County probable cause court.
An officer set his bond at $300,000.
Former Booker T. Washington Assistant Principal Nicholas Newton also made a court appearance on Tuesday.
“This defendant was the proxy that took the tests for the participants,” a hearing officer read off in court.
His bond was set at $200,000. He is accused of taking more than 400 tests to help teachers across the state pass their certifications.
A judge also set the bond to $200,000 for former Yates High School Assistant principal LaShonda Roberts, who’s accused of recruiting dozens of teachers to take part in the cheating ring.
Roberts was absent from probable cause court; however, her attorney did appear for her.
“My client is no longer employed, so her financial ability is going to be severely restricted,” Rpberts’ attorney said.
RELATED: 5 people charged in alleged teacher certification cheating scandal, Harris County DA says
“It’s completely unacceptable,” said HISD Communications Alexandra Elizondo on Monday after news broke of the scandal.
It is an investigation by HISD, which the district claims they had no idea about until right before the arrests.
HISD says it is investigating the situation and will terminate teachers who received their certification through this fraudulent scheme.
The TEA will not say where these teachers were or continue to teach.
SEE ALSO: 13 Investigates: Uncertified teachers at HISD more than doubles this year
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