by Rob McDonald
The security surrounding
Debra Pearson is accused of helping her seventh-grade son cheat on the
Washington Assessment for Student Learning by giving him the writing prompt –
the topic a student must use to write an essay.
Pearson denied the claim and said her son, who's a special education student at
A Spokane Public Schools investigation could not determine if Pearson obtained
the prompt by using her role as a district teacher and did not discipline her.
What is clear is that her son obtained a tip on the WASL writing topic, although Pearson points out that the information was
only half right. The prompt asked students to write about
"If I was going to cheat, don't you think I'd give my son the correct
prompt?" Pearson said. She's been teaching since 1991. She did say she
helped him think about the topic.
The district reported Pearson to the state Office of Professional Practices,
which is still investigating the matter and could suspend her teaching license.
"This has made me paranoid," Pearson said.
She added that she's not trained to give the WASL and she's never seen the
test, which is given to fourth-, seventh- and 10th-grade students.
In a written account of the incident obtained by The Spokesman-Review
through a public records request, Glover special education teacher Tom Chapman
wrote that Pearson's son completed a writing portion of the test in what the
teacher considered an unusually fast 50 minutes. The student's name was not
released by the district.
"His writing style was so different than what I had in his file," the
teacher said, according to the note.
When Chapman complimented him, the seventh-grader appeared uncomfortable and
returned a "tough smile," according to the note. The teacher asked if
he may have taken this writing test before.
According to the note, Pearson's son said, "I'm not supposed to
tell."
The student "explained that his mother told him he might have a question
that he would need to explain a little bit about
The teacher reported the concerns to an administrator. Chapman said in a note
that he had three conversations with the student.
"He told me that his mom did not write an essay but did write down three
details about
After three talks with Chapman, Pearson's son was also interviewed by Brenda Meenach, assistant principal at
Pearson said the interviews frightened and upset her son.
"He didn't want to go to school and asked to be home-schooled,"
Pearson said.
According to investigator notes, the student told Meenach,
"My mom didn't want anybody to know that she knew about the writing
prompt. She told me not to tell anybody."
Pearson said that her son wanted to protect his friend and thought that his
mother could not get into trouble by anything he said. Pearson also points out
that her son didn't volunteer any information until he was questioned by a
teacher. She cited WASL administering directions, which state that teachers may
not read or comment on student essays.
"I do not believe that the WASL was administered appropriately to my son
because his essay was read and commented on by his teacher. As a parent, I am
concerned with the assessment process at
In writing, Pearson took exception to questions she considered as challenging
her parenting skills.
"I've never had my professional and parenting skills questioned
before," Pearson wrote.
"Since this information was gained through my role as a parent and had no
bearing on my professional role as a kindergarten teacher I continue to be
confused as to the actions by Human Resources," she wrote.
Barb Wright, Spokane Public Schools assistant superintendent of human
resources, said the school is obligated to report incidents to the state that
may violate a teacher's professional code of conduct.
"We're guided by the code of professional conduct in such matters,"
Wright said.
Pearson said she has been bewildered by the unfolding events and can only wait
for the state to complete its investigation, which she's confident will clear
her name.
— Rob McDonald
Spokesman Review
2005-09-02
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/local/story.asp?ID=88381
PRESS RELEASE—FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Parent Empowerment Network offers $500 legal fees to
Date: September 6, 2005
Contacts:
Juanita Doyon, Director, Parent Empowerment Network,
Spanaway, 253/973-1593
Shelley Anderson, Executive Board Member, Spokane, 509/326-9295
According to a Spokesman Review article, dated September 2, 2005, Debra Pearson,
the mother of an 8th grade student who is in special education classes, is
accused of helping her son with a WASL writing prompt last spring. Ms. Pearson,
who is a kindergarten teacher, is being investigated by OSPI, under the threat
of losing her teaching license.
“This is clearly a situation of a parent doing what is in the best interest of
her son,” said Juanita Doyon, Director of Parent
Empowerment Network (PEN). “This investigation is inappropriate and an invasion
of Ms. Pearson’s relationship and communication with her son. PEN will do all
that is in our power to support Ms. Pearson and her son. Members have pledged
$500, if legal expenses become necessary.”
Parent Empowerment Network (PEN) is a nonprofit organization with members
throughout the state of