Cobb County Crisis Plan

Crisis Communications Plan for Cheating Scandals

Crisis Communications Plan Team

School of Communications

Kennesaw State University

Professor Emma Wertz

Written October 13, 2016

Erin Martin

Matt Neuenschwander

Jamie Perello

Daniel Peters

Samantha Popham

Matthew Prater

Tested: _____________________

_____________________

_____________________

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Table of Contents

Step 1: Cover Page ……………………………………………………………………………….1

Step 2: Introduction …………………………………………………………………………….3-7

Step 3: Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………………8

Step 4: Rehearsal Dates …………………………………………………………………………..9

Step 5: Purpose and Objectives ………………………………………………………………….10

Step 6: Key Publics and Notifying Key Publics ………………………………………………...11

Step 7: Crisis Team and Crisis Directory…………………………………………………….12-13

Step 8: Media Spokesperson & Training ………………………………………………….....14-16

Step 9: Emergency Personnel …………………………………………………………………...16

Step 10: Equipment ……………………………………………………………………………...16

Step 11: Fact Sheet, News Release, Glossary, Internet Sources …………………………….17-25

Step 12: Key Messages ………………………………………………………………………26-28

Step 13: Media Kit ………………………………………………………………………………29

Step 14: Update Website …………………………………………………………………….30-31

Step 15: Blogs ……………………………………………………………………………….32-33

Step 16: Evaluation ………………………………………………………………………….34-35

Appendix …………………………………………………………………………………….36-37

References ………………………………………………………………………………………38

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Statement from Management to Employees

Introduction:

Why is this plan important?

Each student of Cobb County Schools is required to be given a chance to succeed.

Additionally, each student is given the same opportunities; thus, no student shall receive special

treatment or negligence. If a particular student cannot meet the standards of Cobb County

Schools in order to reach a passing status, he or she must proceed with the necessary procedures

to achieve a passing status. That is the responsibility of the individual student – not the teachers,

faculty or staff.

Cobb County Schools functions off its numerous contributors: leadership, teachers and

students among others. To get these hundreds of thousands of pieces of this one, large unit to

share the same vision, training must be persistent. One misaligned vision among Cobb County

Schools could taint the system’s best interest. Leadership must be stronger than individuals with

skewed visions. To assume all Cobb County Schools’s pieces are in-line with the system’s

visions would be irresponsible, and an individual could sacrifice all this school system stands for

and has built.

Though these guidelines are set in place for the best interest of Cobb County Schools’

students, its institutions and its community, the school system is still at risk to endure improper

handling of the grading scale. Students might deceive the system by cheating, and those students

will be disciplined accordingly; however, Cobb County Schools needs be to prepare for a

potential cheating dishonor administered by its teachers, which would be completely

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unacceptable, but possible.

A teacher’s job is to equip the future generation with the necessary skills, knowledge and

morals needed to continue society. Challenge, practice and self-preparation are needed to do well

on exams and other evaluations. These exams and other course material in the system are

designed to help students to retain necessary information, encouraging them to be disciplined in

their studies. Grades are earned and not given; receiving improper grades or test results – like in

a cheating scandal – make students to miss important information in their schooling, develop

poor work habits and learn immoral values.

What can happen if this plan is not followed?

Without proper precautions, i.e., training, instruction, etc., the integrity, mission and

trustworthiness of Cobb County Schools could be compromised if a cheating scandal were to

come out of the school system. Faculty and staff alike must align to protect Cobb County

Schools’s duty: properly equipping students with the tools necessary to succeed following their

K-12 tenure. Persistent reminders and ample training are wise to ensure faculty and staff share

the same goals and visions for Cobb County Schools. Without this topic on the forefront of the

minds of leadership and teachers, the criminal act of aiding students by cheating might seem

plausible to some, and a larger-than-life, irredeemable scandal, which could have been

prevented, would taint Cobb County Schools. The system’s procedures are in place to protect,

develop and train Cobb County’s students, families and community, and protecting those

stakeholders is Cobb County Schools’s main priority.

On an individual level, everyone involved in the scandal from the superintendent to a

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testing coordinator could face criminal charges for being involved in the crisis. Students involved

in a cheating scandal are hindered, which goes completely against Cobb County Schools’

student-first approach.

A cheating scandal would be detrimental to this school system and its community

because concerned parents and guardians would consider Cobb County Schools insufficient for

their kids if a scandal were to break. This might cause families to move outside Cobb County,

harming school funding, local economic stimulation and the general judgment toward people and

organizations in Cobb County.

Have there been warning signs?

As later explained in detail in a subsequent section, nearby, prominent school systems

have recently had cheating scandals. Currently, Cobb County Schools shows no signs of a

cheating scandal breaking; however, one could break at any moment without proper leadership

insertion and surveillance over the system’s institutions. With their under-the-table nature,

cheating scandals are unpredictable and do not pose warning before threating a school system top

to bottom.

In fact, instances of cheating could be currently taking place in Cobb County Schools.

According to Almasy (2015), a 2013 indictment of the Fulton County cheating scandal showed

signs of cheating as early as 2001. Proper training needs to be put into action to instill and

reiterate proper standards of test taking. If cheating by the system were to be currently happening

in Cobb County Schools – a worst-case scenario – then these protocols could uncover it

internally, minimizing the backlash and correcting the improper procedures. Having no signs of

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cheating does not mean cheating is not happening; that cannot be assumed. Though there are no

warning signs, this type of crisis could break at any moment without notice, but, with the

protocols in this plan, Cobb County Schools can be prepared and react appropriately if it were to

happen.

Has it happened to similar organizations?

Though this crisis has not previously happened to Cobb County Schools, a cheating

scandal is still plausible given similar, local school system has dealt with this crisis within the

previous few years.

As Copeland (2013) wrote, 35 educators were indicted in March 2013 for a cheating

scandal that spanned over 58 schools in the Atlanta area. These individuals were principals,

administrators, teachers and a school secretary of the public school system. Copeland (2013)

mentioned that 196 school districts across the U.S. had suspicious test scores. Almasy (2015)

wrote that “Michael Bowers, a former Georgia attorney general who investigated the cheating

scandal, said in 2013 that there were ‘cheating parties,’ erasures in and out of classrooms, and

teachers were told to make changes to student answers on tests.”

Of the 12 defendants involved in the scandal, 11 were found guilty, according to Almasy

(2015). Fulton County Schools’ superintendent resigned in 2010 and did not attend the trial due

to an illness, later dying in March, 2015. According to a press release by the office of the Fulton

County District Attorney (2013), a Fulton County Grand Jury indicted 35 people connected to

the cheating scandal; these were people ranging from the superintendent, human resources staff,

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principals, assistant principals, teachers, a secretary and testing coordinators among others. Some

sentences were one to five years whereas others resulted in 20 years of imprisonment.

This case headlined the news for years, and it was at the forefront of educators’s minds

around the U.S. A scandal a fraction the size of Atlanta’s would be detrimental without a plan in

place, but it would be recoverable with a plan and proper training.

Given the size of Cobb County Schools and those who have a hand in it, a cheating

scandal is probable to happen if this plan were not followed. Leadership, faculty and staff need to

share a common goal and common values. Individuals who run Cobb County Schools could cut

corners and stray from the integrity of the school system if not kept in constant reminder and

training of its structure. If this plan were not implemented, the odds of one individual

exaggerating or boosting a student’s grade are probable. This plan also covers how to respond

and react if a cheating scandal were to break, aiding the leaders of a school system that is under

the microscope; this plan presents the appropriate steps not to discount the wisdom of Cobb

County Schools’s leadership, but to assist its leadership is a time of crisis.

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Acknowledgements

By signing this announcement, I confirm that I have read this plan and am willing to put it into

conclusion.

Principal _____________________

(Signature and Date)

Assistant Principal _____________________


Assistant Administrator _____________________


Central Office Assistant _____________________


CCSD Superintendent _____________________


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Rehearsal Dates Schedule

Rehearsal Dates July 1, 2017

December 2, 2017

July 7, 2018

December 1, 2018

We have decided to conduct a tabletop, during the rehearsal dates above. During these informal

tabletops, we will discuss emergency crisis roles and will consider scenarios dealing with our

topic of potential school cheating scandals. We will also converse about any weaknesses in our

plan and answer any unresolved questions. These tabletops are designed to assess and ensure our

readiness and the procedures needed with school cheating scandals.

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Purpose and Objectives Statement

Purpose:

In the event of a cheating scandal, we must take immediate action to communicate the

significance of repairing the reputation of the Cobb Country School district and take the

necessary steps to inform our publics which include: parents, stakeholders, students and faculty

and staff. We also aim to clarify the precise facts and details that have led to the cheating

scandal. We will focus on rebuilding the trust the school district and all publics affected in this

crisis.

Objectives:

1. Notify leadership of the essential procedures to determine the source of the widespread

cheating scandal.

2. Maintain honesty and transparency with the media and keep all publics consistently

informed with updated precise information.

3. Communicate to leadership and stakeholders of the significance of emerging methods to

prevent similar crises in the future.

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Methods of Communication

Publics Take-

home

Letters

Automated

Phone Calls News/Press

Release

E-

Mail

Cobb

County

School

District

Website

Social

Media

Faculty and staff X

X

X X

Superintendent and

Executive Cabinet

X X

Investors/Stakeholders X X X X

Parents X X X X X

Students X X X

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Crisis Team

● Cobb County School District Superintendent and Executive Cabinet:

● Superintendent

● Deputy Superintendent-Selected Media Spokesperson

● Chief Technology Officer

● Chief Accountability & Research Officer

● Chief Financial Officer

● Chief of Staff

● Chief Leadership Officer

● Executive Secretary

Title Name E-

Mail

Office

Phone

Emergency

Phone

Superintendent

Duties: Provide consistent face of crisis; Relay all

accurate messages to media outlets; Second official

Media Spokesperson.

Chief of Staff

Duties: Organize staff conference; Inform the staff;

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Relay all messages to staff and employees.

Deputy Superintendent

Duties: Third official Media Spokesperson;

Organize press conference.

Chief Accountability & Research Officer

Duties: Official media spokesperson; Formulate

plan of action; Contact media.

Executive Secretary

Duties: The one to prepare press releases and any

written statements (E-Mail informing particular

publics and take home letters).

Chief Leadership Officer

Duties: Ensure the executive board members are

aware of all updates to avoid ambiguity.

Chief Financial officer

Duties: Maintain contact with investors and ensure

they are aware of all available information.

Chief Technology Officer

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Duties: Update the public through the Cobb County

School District website, social media, formulate the

automated phone call.

Media Spokesperson and Training

The selected media spokesperson is the Chief Accountability & Research Officer for the Cobb

County School District in case of a cheating scandal. Since the Chief Accountability & Research

Officer provides direction and support to stakeholders with many resources to improve student

learning. Chief Accountability & Research Officer has access to the resources they need to

provide accurate information about the widespread cheating scandal to stakeholders and the

target publics.

Description:

● The spokesperson for the Cobb County School District in case of a widespread cheating

scandal.

● Keeps the public informed and updated about problems surrounding the scandal.

● Face of the district and defends the school district’s image and reputation during the

event of a cheating scandal.

● The visible leader in the event of a cheating scandal and addresses all ambiguity from the

publics.

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Responsibilities:

● Directly responsible for informing the media in all details related to the crisis.

● Responsible for answering questions that may arise during the scandal.

● Responsible for keeping the public informed in all stages of the crisis, especially when

new information arises.

● Should maintain image and reputation of school district in all stages of the crisis.

● Keeping up appearances with the public and maintaining good relationship during all

stages of the crisis.

● Being visible, available and genuine about the continuation of the crisis to the public and

stakeholders.

Interview Tips:

● Prepare to have questions from parents, teachers, news media and stakeholders.

● Prepare to give a brief summary of what is known at every point of the scandal.

● Prepare to be transparent with all answer but do not make absolute guarantees.

● Prepare for media to ask tricky questions that there may not be a solid answer to.

● Try not to use “ no comment”

● Speak clearly and concisely and always avoid slang/ jargon.

Trick Questions:

● Be aware of bipolar trap questions where they elicit a yes or a no, these questions may begin as “were you”, “would you”, was it”, “do you”, “did you”, “are you”,

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and “is there”. EXAMPLE: Do you know exactly who was involved in the cheating scandal? or Are you aware that ____ amount of students test were affected?

● Be aware of leading questions such as “what is your opinion on the cheating scandal” Communicate facts with no opinion.

● Be precautious when asked to “confirm facts”, make sure to solely communicate the cheating scandal information known to be factual at the given time. EXAMPLE: Can you confirm that _____ was the sole instigator of the cheating scandal?

● Be alert and prepared when answering questions with many probing questions. EXAMPLE: How many people are being investigated at this time? ---> Where will they be investigated at?

● Be aware of the curious probe where the interviewer is asking for questions they do not need. For example, “What were the names of the students involved”? State that the information cannot be released due to the privacy policy.

Emergency Personnel Information

Title Address Phone Email

Attorney Vic Reynolds 70 Haynes St, Marietta, GA 30090 770-528-3080 n/a

Cobb County Police

Department

140 North Marietta Parkway

Marietta, Georgia 30060

770-499-3900 n/a

Equipment

Equipment Needed:

● Pens ● Paper/Notepads● Laptops ● Internet Access/WiFi● Electronic Chargers ● Tape Recorder● Cell Phones

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Fact Sheet

● Cobb County School District

● 2nd Largest district in Georgia

● 24th Largest district in the United States

● 112,708 students currently enrolled

● Graduation rate: 81.4% (2015)

● 14,984 employees

● Values

● Achievement - aspiring to the highest level of excellence

● Integrity - demonstrating honesty, consistency, taking responsibility for

action, being worthy of trust

● Creativity/Innovation - supporting flexibility, adaptability in keeping up

with changes in education and technology

● Accountability - taking responsibility for actions, outcomes, and

expectations

● Goals

● Vary learning experiences to increase success in career paths.17

● Differentiate resources for areas/schools based on needs.

● Develop stakeholder involvement to promote student success.

● Recruit, hire, support, and retain employees for the highest levels of

excellence

● Mission: Creating and Supporting Pathways for Success

● Vision: Empowering Dreams for the Future

● Educational Cheating

● Cheating is defined as obtaining or attempting to obtain, or aiding another to

obtain credit for work, or any improvement in evaluation of performance, by any

dishonest or deceptive means.

● Cobb County School District’s faculty test altering definition: Changing,

tampering or fabricating students test scores or test answers will be considered

altering. This includes emphasizing the correct answer when reading aloud,

erasing wrong answers and filling in the correct answer, placing children in areas

to cheat off smarter children, giving students the correct answer when they ask

and allowing students to correct answers from previous sections. All stated

incidents directly violate Cobb County School District’s academic integrity and

Georgia Testing Policies.

● In a NEA survey, a large amount of teachers reported feeling considerable

pressure to improve test scores; 72 percent responded that they felt “moderate” or

“extreme” pressure from both school and district administrators.

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Location: The Cobb County School District's central office: 514 Glover Street Marietta, GA

30060

Website: http://www.cobbk12.org/

Phone: The Cobb County School District’s phone number: 770-426-3300

Media Contact:

Cathy Adams

Executive Secretary

Cobb County School District

770-426-3310

[email protected]

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For Immediate Release

Suspected Widespread Cheating Scandal in Cobb County School District

DATE: _______________

(CITY), Ga – Several Cobb County students have been accused of a county-wide standardized

testing cheating scandal at [school name(s)]. At the moment, there are not any concise answers

as to how this started and exactly how many people are involved in this situation.

Cobb County board officials are taking this matter very seriously and have vowed to find

the source of this scandal and punish all of those that are involved. “We are taking the necessary

steps to get down to the bottom of this situation and make sure it never happens again,” Cobb

County Chief Accountability & Research Officer, [name] said.

County administrators, including [name], the Cobb County Superintendent, are working

hard together with local law enforcement and government officials to get to the bottom of this

situation. Cobb County School District has made it clear that they do not tolerate cheating of any

kind, and whoever is involved will receive proper punishment as well as suspension or

termination if necessary.

Every school year, standardized tests are given throughout the county to track student and

staff achievements and learning levels. There are goals are put in to place by the Board of

Educators that are reachable and most often obtained.

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-more-

Cobb County School District Information:

The Cobb County School District is the county government agency which operates public

schools in Cobb County, Georgia. It is the second-largest school system in Georgia and one

of the largest in the United States, The district is the county’s largest employer and one of

the largest in the United States, when it comes to school systems. All Cobb County schools

are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and the

district is among the first to have earned district-wide accreditation.

Contact:

Cathy Adams

Executive Secretary

Cobb County School District

770-426-3310

[email protected]

###

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Glossary

● Cheating: An unorthodox means of obtaining an improper grade on a test, evaluation or

any other assignment.

● Comprehension: A student’s understanding of the material taught. Different students

might have different level of comprehension from one another, which is typically

determined or evaluated in a test.

● Deceive or deception: To manipulate for an exaggerated, unearned result or grade.

● Evaluation: A method to determine at student’s level of comprehension of material that

was taught.

● Failing: An unacceptable percentage of points earned on an assessment, resulting in a

requirement for another attempt. This is typically 69 percent and below.

● Negligence: The neglect or disregard for a student. This includes the student’s well-being

and learning among others.

● Passing: An acceptable percentage of points earned on an assessment to advance a

student to the next grade. This is typically 70 percent and above.

● Standards: The expected abilities, knowledge and skill set of each student – determined

by grade level and other variables, e.g., learning disabilities.

● Standardized test: An end-of-semester test issued to each student of Cobb County

Schools. The tests vary in difficulty and material depending on a student’s grade, e.g.,

first grade or 11th grade.

● Student-first: The student-centered approach, focus and integrity Cobb County Schools

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aims for.

● Academic Integrity: Honesty and responsibility in scholarship. Students and faculty

alike must obey rules of honest scholarship, which means that all academic work should

result from an individual's own efforts.

● Racketeering: A criminal activity that is performed to benefit an organization.

● Board of Education: Body of officials appointed to oversee a local or statewide school

system or systems.

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Internet Sources

http://www.cobbk12.org/

Cobb County Website

· Information on the District

· Information on Cobb County School System

http://www.cobbk12.org/centraloffice/adminrules/

Cobb County School District Board Policies and Administrative Rules

· Introduction

· Student Section

https://cobbcounty.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1741&Itemid=889

Cobb County Police Department

· F.A.Q.’s

· Information on Cobb County Police

http://www.cobbk12.org/northcobb/NCHS_Student_Handbook_FY16-17.pdf

North Cobb High School Student Handbook

· General Information

· Academic Information

· Student Discipline24

http://www.cobbk12.org/schools/mceachern/McEachern_Web/Information_Pages/

Student_Handbook.htm

McEachern High School

· Discipline Procedures and Expectations

· Inappropriate Behaviors and Consequences

· Maintaining Student Behavior

· Student Handbook Info

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Key Messages

Widespread cheating in Cobb County

If widespread cheating were ever to be administered by a teacher or group of teachers

within the Cobb County school district, the first priority of the school system would be a concern

for its students and the surrounding community showcased by an initial investigation to discover

how the transgression occurred and who was behind it. Leadership would be briefed and updated

on procedure for dealing with falsified scores, cheating teachers, and cheating students. All the

while honest and transparent communication with the community will be a priority. Initial

communication will be about how the School District intends to discover how the cheating

occurred and intends to prevent such things from happening again in the future. Doing these

things will begin a healthy repair of the Cobb County school district’s reputation in the

community. Every public of interest, faculty and staff, the school superintendent and executive

cabinet, investors and other stakeholders, parents and students will be informed of all that is

going on in regards to the investigation, apologized to for the county's failure to uphold its value

of offering a better education, and promised that measures will be taken to not only improve the

county's education and testing process but accountability.

In addition, the Cobb County School District will stress its commitment to the proper

education of students and its continued dedication to each student's success. We will apologize

and accept responsibility for not better managing the actions of those employed by the Cobb

County school district.

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The following key messages should be stressed in the order indicated to each public:

Faculty and staff:

1. If you have any information regarding how cheating occurred, report it.

2. Cheating is in no way tolerated in our district. It is not good for the overall wellbeing of

our students or our schools.

3. We are currently working with local law enforcement to improve our efforts in detecting

the source of the incident, and prevent further cheating in our county.

Superintendent and Executive Cabinet:

1. We apologize for what has happened and hold ourselves and everyone who was involved

responsible.

2. We do not know at this time how the cheating occurred, but we are investigating and will

share our findings promptly.

3. We are developing an improved process to prevent cheating by undergoing a thorough

review of our ongoing investigation.

Investors/Stakeholders:


responsible.

2. We are dedicated to the proper and fair education of Cobb County students.



Parents:

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responsible.

2. We are dedicated to the proper and fair education of your children.



4. If you or your student have any information regarding our ongoing investigation or who

may be responsible, please let us know.

Students:

1. We are dedicated your proper and fair education.


responsible.



4. If you have any information regarding our ongoing investigation please let us know.

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Cobb County Schools Media List

Publication Name

Publication Type

Contact Name

Contact Title

Contact Phone

Contact Email

The MDJ Newspaper Otis Brumby, III

Publisher 770-428-9411 x301

[email protected]

The AJC Newspaper/Online

Molly Bloom

Reporter on education

770-263-3866

Through website:http://www.myajc.com/mailfriend/300/2358/1fceb0eb1a/

The East Cobber

Magazine Cynthia Rozzo

Founder/Publisher

770-640-7070

[email protected]

Marietta Daily Journal

Newspaper JK Murphy

VP of Content

770-428-9411 x207

[email protected]

11Alive Television/Online

Valerie Hoff

Newsroom404-892-1611

Fax: 404-881-0675

WSBTV Television News

Ross Cavitt

Public Affairs office

None [email protected]

CBS46 Television News

Will Frampton

News Department

(404) 327-3200

Fax: (404) 327-3004

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Website Update Memo

Hello WEBMASTER,

RE: Widespread cheating scandal in Cobb County School District

Message:

On [date], widespread cheating activity occurred at [schools]. At this time, we are trying to get

down to the bottom of this situation and the source of the cheating. We are working with local

and federal law enforcement to define the severity of the cheating. We will update the public as

we receive any information.

Our dedication to student success is paramount to our values as an organization. Cheating in any

capacity goes against our mission, and will not be tolerated. The Cobb County School District is

undergoing an investigation of students and teachers who may be responsible for such a

transgression. We are unsure at this time who exactly is responsible or how such an action

occurred under our watch. We apologize that the integrity of the Cobb County School District

has been breached, and we take full responsibility. We plan to learn from this incident by

undergoing a thorough review of our investigation once it is complete and developing new

procedures so that similar events do not occur in the future.

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● For questions regarding this crisis please email CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.

● For all media inquiries please email CHIEF ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESEARCH

OFFICER.

To read current articles visit the AJC here or the Marietta Daily Journal here.

Please include this picture of the school district’s superintendent from yesterday’s press

conference. (Picture)

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Blog for Widespread CCSD Cheating

Blog #1:

It has come to our attention that a number of students at (school) have been caught in

what appear to be a cheating scandal. We do not know at this time how many students are

involved and if any faculty and staff are involved as well. Cobb county schools have a zero-

tolerance policy with cheating and we apologize for anyone affected by this. We are committed

to keep Cobb county schools reputable and are working to get to the bottom of this scandal.

[insert name] CCSD Accountability Officer

Blog #2:

At this time, the Cobb County School District is undergoing an investigation of students

and teachers who may be responsible for this transgression. We are working with local law

enforcement and government officials to get to the bottom of this. We are unsure at this time

who specifically is responsible or how this occurred under our watch; and sincerely apologize

that the integrity of Cobb County schools has been tarnished by this incident.

[insert name] CCSD Chief Accountability Officer

Blog #3:

The cheating scandal that had occurred between students at (school) has been an

immense learning experience for the Cobb County School District. We want to thank the

community for standing by us and could not have properly assed this situation without the help

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of local and state law enforcement. Moving forward, new procedures will be implemented to

ensure that cheating such as this will not occur again. These efforts are to ensure that higher

education goals are met and students can continue to receive a proper and effective education.

[insert name] CCSD Chief Accountability Officer

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Evaluation

Introduction:

A crisis plan is not complete without its final evaluation. The evaluation is done to assess how

everything has been completed and to be sure that goals are met. The evaluation focuses on what

went right and what went wrong throughout the plan. It is important that the evaluation of the

crisis plan is done right after the crisis is over. It should be done with the crisis fresh in mind. We

think about all aspects of the crisis plan so that we can see what to do better next time, should

this crisis ever happen again. Part of the evaluation is to evaluate our objectives we previously

created, seen below:

1. Measuring objective 1: Notify leadership of the essential procedures to determine the source

of the widespread cheating scandal.

a. Has everybody who needs to be contacted been contacted? Are the appropriate leaders

involved? Was there anyone that was missed? Have we provided the leaders with all

necessary information and procedures? Are the procedures being acted on appropriately?

Were we able to determine the source of the cheating? What was done after the source

was determined?

2. Measuring objective 2: Maintain honesty and transparency with the media and keep all

publics consistently informed with updated precise information.

a. Has there been constant communication with the public? Have all stakeholders been

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addressed? Have we remained honest and transparent with the media and public? Have

we kept all lines of communication open to question? Did we address the public with

precise information to prevent uncertainty and ambiguity? Was there any room for

uncertainty that needed to be addressed?

3. Measuring objective 3: Communicate to leadership and stakeholders of the significance of

emerging methods to prevent similar crises in the future.

a. Did we communicate to all stakeholders affected by the crisis? Have we presented all

methods we came up with to prevent a crisis like this from happening again? Have we

expressed why these methods are important? Is there any room for error that could allow

for this crisis to happen again? Has all appropriate leadership been communicated with?

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Appendix:Crisis Inventory

Category/crisis Likelihood Extent of damageNatural disasters/severe weatherTornado 3 3Hurricane 2 3Flood 3 3Icey roads 3 1Fire 3 4MaintenanceWater pipes burst 3 2AC or heat failure 3 2Elevator outage 2 3Power outage 3 1Terrorism, violence or life-threatening issuesSchool shooting 1 5Weapon found on campus but unused 3 4Intruder/unauthorized personnel on campus 3 4Bomb threat 2 5Kidnapping 2 5Food poisoning 2 5Death as result of bus crash 2 5Student fight 5 2Wild animal on campus 1 3Sexual crisesStudent/teacher affair 1 3Student/teacher affair cover-up 1 5Rape 3 5Sexual assault 4 5Sexual harassment by student 4 3Sexual harassment by teacher 2 5Employment- or institutional-related crisesTeacher strike 2 5Layoffs 5 3Furlough days 3 3Budget cut 4 3Supply shortage 3 3Teacher fails all students 1 4Cheating scandal 2 5

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Misappropriation of funds 2 4Student negligenceChild left on playground 3 2Child left on bus 2 2Child overheats on bus 1 4BullyingGeneral bullying 5 2Cyber bullying 5 2Sexual-orientation-related bullying, i.e., LGBT+ 2 5Suicide as result of bullying 1 5Extra-curricular crisesDrug-related crises 5 3Alcohol-related crises 5 3Teacher/employee gets DUI 1 3Pregnancy pact 1 3Our top five choices:

References

Almasy, S. (2015, April 14). Atlanta school cheating scandal: 11 of 12 defendants convicted.

CNN. Retrieved from cnn.com.

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Copeland, L. (2013, April 14). School cheating scandal shakes up Atlanta. USA Today. Retrieved

from usatoday.com.

Grand Jury indicts 35 in connection with Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal. (2013, March

29). Office of the Fulton County District Attorney. Retrieved from atlantada.org.

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Cobb County Crisis Plan

Documents

Transcript of Cobb County Crisis Plan