ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Former Toomer Elementary School Principal Tonya Saunders continued her fight against charges that she encouraged her schools teachers to cheat on standardized tests.
She came under suspicion after Toomer Elementary School was found to have slightly higher-than-normal amounts of answers corrected on its 2009 CRCTs.
However, Toomer still did not make its annual targeted scores that year.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Eve Rodgers recalled what Saunders told her during interviews in 2011.
"She demonstrated to (agents) a willingness to speak to us about exactly what was being pushed down to principles," Rodgers testified.
Saunders hired Bob Rubin, former defense attorney for convicted killer Hemy Neuman as well as attorney Michael Kramer. They argue that Saunders has always insisted she didn't know of any instances of cheating at her school.
"Dr. Saunders told you repeatedly during this conversation that she's never seen cheating at Toomer," Rubin told Rodgers during the hearing.
Saunders is accused of telling teachers to encourage students not to "spend too much time on one question" during tests, which Atlanta Public Schools attorney Brandon Moulard and Georgia Department of Education assessment and accountability expert Melissa Fincher said is against testing procedures.
But Kramer referred to an official CRCT study guide which explicitly instructs teachers to do things like instruct students not to "spend too much time on one question." The document explicitly states to do so "during the test" - something Fincher admitted could need clarification in the future.
Saunders also said she had been away on medical leave during much of the testing period that year.
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