UNITED STATES: Nashville Teachers Say They Were Pressured to Inflate Grades, One Now Suing District
Former Nashville teacher Diana Wills says she was ordered to change failing grades after the fact.
According to Wills, administrators emailed staff directing them to raise any grade of 59 or below to a 60, citing “lack of parent contact” as the reason.
Wills objected in writing, calling the practice “unethical and could very well be interpreted as illegal” and accusing the district of trying to “cook the books.”
She refused to comply. The school suspended her. She is now suing the district.
A second teacher, Samira Hardcastle — named Teacher of the Year at her school — resigned after facing similar pressure. At a school board meeting, Hardcastle said district leaders asked her to fabricate grades.
Critics argue that when teachers are punished for refusing to inflate scores, students and parents are the ones who lose. Students don’t get the help they need, and families aren’t given an accurate picture of performance.
The lawsuit alleges Nashville’s school system prioritized better-looking data over actual education.