The Houston area is facing a disturbing teacher certification scandal, as Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg revealed a widespread scheme on Monday involving hundreds of educators. The scandal centers on fraudulent certifications obtained through falsified exams, enabling many unqualified individuals to work within the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and potentially endangering students.
The investigation has brought five people to the forefront as alleged orchestrators in a million-dollar cheating scheme, including HISD employees who held positions of influence and trust. Among those charged are two assistant principals and a high school basketball coach, all accused of arranging or participating in the fraudulent certification process.
Key Players in the Scheme
The scandal’s alleged ringleader, 57-year-old Vincent Grayson, is a head basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School in HISD. According to investigators, Grayson earned close to $1 million by charging up to $2,500 per false certification. Assisting him, 51-year-old Tywana Gilford Mason, formerly a director at the Houston Training and Education Center, reportedly used her position to cover up the illicit scheme, even acting as a test proctor.
Nicholas Newton, assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School, is accused of acting as a proxy test-taker. Another defendant, 22-year-old Darian Nikole Wilhite, worked as a proctor at TACTIX, where she allegedly allowed proxy testing in exchange for bribes. Finally, LaShonda Roberts, assistant principal at Yates High School, is accused of recruiting nearly 100 teachers to join the certification scheme.
Each of these individuals is now facing two counts of organized criminal activity, as the district attorney’s office aims to hold them accountable for abusing their positions of trust within the school district.
A Scheme Rooted in Betrayal
According to DA Ogg, the scope of this fraudulent operation dates back to at least May 2020, impacting the district’s teaching quality and potentially compromising student safety. At least 400 exams were falsified, and 200 certifications were fraudulently issued through this scheme. This massive breach has led to concerns within HISD about the safety and integrity of those teaching in their classrooms.
“The most important thing to me is that the ringleaders have been identified and are being routed out of our home school district,” Ogg emphasized. “The fact that they held positions of power there, where they were held in esteem by the children, is the very worst part of this crime.”
Uncovering Disturbing Allegations
The investigation took a darker turn as the DA’s office uncovered cases of indecency and online solicitation among some educators who had obtained fraudulent certifications. These cases highlight the additional dangers of allowing unqualified individuals into schools under false pretenses.
Mike Levine, a felony chief in the DA Office’s Public Corruption Division, highlighted the scandal’s impact: “Teachers and coaches influence children beyond just academics. We count on them to have a strong moral compass.”
HISD’s Response and Cooperation
HISD claims to have been unaware of the scandal until the recent arrests, placing all implicated employees on immediate leave. In a public statement, the district pledged full cooperation with the Texas Education Agency and law enforcement as the investigation continues. “Any educator who engages in conduct of this nature abdicates their responsibility to our students and to our staff and represents a complete betrayal of the public trust,” a HISD spokesperson stated.
Moving forward, HISD has committed to removing any educator found to have gained certification through fraudulent means.
Ongoing Investigations and Public Involvement
As the investigation progresses, the DA’s office encourages anyone with additional information to contact local authorities or Crime Stoppers to aid in the identification and prosecution of individuals involved in the scandal.
With more educators potentially under scrutiny, the scandal has not only raised concerns about HISD’s oversight processes but has also prompted widespread debate about maintaining accountability within educational institutions. This investigation serves as a grave reminder of the potential harm when the public’s trust in education is broken.
A teacher certification scandal is rocking the Houston area, according to a statement by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg on Monday.
The scheme involved hundreds of teachers taking false examinations, given out by the suspects who charged per certificate, with many being falsely certified.
The cheating ring unmasked at least five people allegedly involved in the million-dollar cheating scandal leading to fraudulently certified teachers working in the district. At least three of those charged were Houston Independent School District (HISD) employees, including two assistant principals and a high school basketball coach.
Officials believe the basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School was the ringleader and that he made about $1 million from the scheme, charging $2,500 per certificate, although some paid more.
Ogg said the scheme goes back as far as May 2020, and it is believed that hundreds of tests have been faked and investigators say at this time approximately 20 teachers have come forward with confessions.
“The extent of this scheme will never be fully known, but we know that at least 400 tests were taken and at least 200 teachers falsely certified,” Ogg said.
Ogg also said at least two of those who paid to obtain the fake certification were charged with indecency with a child as well as online solicitation of a minor.
“It’s very troubling,” Mike Levine, a felony chief in the DA Office’s Public Corruption Division, said. “Because teachers — especially teachers and coaches who help influence children’s behavior — we count on them for their moral compass. A part of what they do goes beyond their mastery of their subject matter.”
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Chargers are pending for:
Vincent Grayson, 57: Head boy’s basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD, Grayson is accused of organizing the scheme.
Tywana Gilford Mason, 51: Former director and certifying official at the Houston Training and Education Center, Mason allegedly helped conceal the proxy scheme as a test proctor.
Nicholas Newton, 35: Assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School, Newton reportedly acted as a proxy test-taker in the cheating ring.
Darian Nikole Wilhite, 22: Proctor at TACTIX, Wilhite is accused of taking bribes to allow proxy testing.
LaShonda Roberts, 39: Assistant principal at Yates High School, Roberts is alleged to have recruited nearly 100 teachers to participate in the scheme.
Each defendant faces two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity.
“The most important thing to me is that the ringleaders have been identified and are being routed out of our home school district. The fact that they held positions of power there, where they were held in esteem by the children, is the very worst part of this crime,” Ogg said.
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A HISD spokesperson claims the district wasn’t aware of the scheme until right before the arrests and that all employees were immediately placed on leave.
“HISD was made aware of the investigation into an alleged cheating conspiracy shortly before arrests were made. Any educator who engages in conduct of this nature abdicates their responsibility to our students and to our staff and represents a complete betrayal of the public trust. HISD will cooperate fully with the Texas Education Agency and state and local law enforcement as the investigation progresses. All three of these employees have been arrested and will be receiving notifications relieving them of their duties effective immediately.
“Additionally, if it is determined that any teachers currently working in HISD participated in this scheme or passed their certification exams fraudulently, we will take swift action to terminate their employment with the District.”
The DA’s office urges anyone with information about these certifications to contact local police or Crime Stoppers.
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