$200K bond set for 2 of 5 suspects accused in teacher certification cheating scandal
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- More information was revealed in court overnight about two of the five suspects involved in an alleged scheme related to teacher certification tests.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office said the million-dollar scheme placed 200 unqualified teachers in classrooms over the course of four years -- including two child predators.
In court overnight, a judge set bond at $200,000 for two of the suspects.
PREVIOUS REPORT: 5 people charged in alleged teacher certification cheating scandal, Harris County DA says
The DA's office said the scheme involved people paying money to have someone else take their certification test for them.
The following people are accused of being part of the operation:
- Vincent Grayson, 57, the head boys basketball coach at Booker T. Washington High School in Houston ISD, is accused of organizing the cheating scheme.
- Tywana Gilford Mason, 51, the former director/VA certifying official at the Houston Training and Education Center, was a test proctor, which officials said allowed her to keep the proxy scheme undetected.
- Nicholas Newton, 35, an assistant principal at Booker T. Washington High School, allegedly participated in the scheme as the proxy test-taker.
- Darian Nikole Wilhite, 22, a proctor at TACTIX, is accused of taking bribes to allow Newton to act as a testing proxy.
- LaShonda Roberts, 39, an assistant principal at Yates High School in HISD, is accused of recruiting nearly 100 teachers to participate in the cheating scheme.
The alleged ring leader, Grayson, is one of three Houston ISD employees facing charges. He has not yet appeared in front of a judge.
However, probable cause was found in the case against the two other suspects who worked for the district.
Former HISD assistant principals Newton and Roberts are both facing two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity. Their respective bonds were set at $200,000.
Newton is accused of taking the certification tests. Roberts, whose charges were read even though she did not appear in front of the judge, is accused of recruiting participants.
"The allegation being that Ms. Roberts was involved in a scheme, whereby she was responsible for recruiting people that were going to be taking their teaching certificate exams, to pay her a sum of money to get access to a scheme whereby these people were essentially having proxies take their certification exams on their behalf," prosecutors read in court.
HISD said the three employees involved are no longer with the district but will be paid until the legal process plays out.
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