Butler Snow’s Edward L. Stanton, III was recently mentioned in the Commercial Appeal article Report: At least 53 Trezevant High students got unearned diplomas; board moves to fire coach about leading an investigation into the allegations of illegal activity raised in the resignation letter of former Trezevant High School principal Ronnie Mackin:
An investigative report found “pervasive” academic fraud at Trezevant High School in recent years, with at least 53 students who shouldn’t have graduated being granted diplomas.
And the Shelby County Schools board voted 8-0 Tuesday night to fire Trezevant High’s former football coach Teli White. He can appeal.
The charges against White said that among other things, he participated in a scheme to change students’ failing grades to passing grades and was dishonest with investigators.
A union representative questioned the validity of the investigation. But school board members seemed shocked by the report and with little discussion, voted to terminate White.
White didn’t immediately return a phone call late Tuesday.
The report by outside investigators suggests that the practice of giving passing grades to students who didn’t earn them goes beyond a group of athletes at one high school.
A chief outside investigator, Ed Stanton III, said administrators at the school either knew or should have known about the practice of changing grades. He didn’t name names. The inquiry originally focused on the football team.
“But the majority of the individuals or people whose grades were changed were not athletes,” he said.
To read the Commercial Appeal’s article about Edward L. Stanton, III in its entirety, please visit the link below.
