LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP) - A county school board may demand that six teachers repay nearly $30,000 US in pay raises they received after obtaining fake degrees from an online school in Liberia.
St. Regis University, the online school which claims to be recognized by the Liberian government, grants master's degrees and doctorates based on "life experience." A master's degree costs $995 and a doctorate costs $1,500. The six Gwinnett County teachers were among 11 in the state found to have degrees from St. Regis. The Gwinnett teachers received $29,702 in additional pay for the advanced degrees.
Several school board members have accused the teachers of fleecing the system, and some suggested the teachers should lose their jobs.
"Teachers get paid based on their years of experience and the type of degrees they've earned," Supt. J. Alvin Wilbanks said. "So if they've been paid on those degrees, that is going to have to be paid back."
A spokesman for the state Professional Standards Commission, which approved the six teachers' degrees last year, said it would no longer accept credits from St. Regis.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2004/03/24/394293-ap.html
St. Regis University, the online school which claims to be recognized by the Liberian government, grants master's degrees and doctorates based on "life experience." A master's degree costs $995 and a doctorate costs $1,500. The six Gwinnett County teachers were among 11 in the state found to have degrees from St. Regis. The Gwinnett teachers received $29,702 in additional pay for the advanced degrees.
Several school board members have accused the teachers of fleecing the system, and some suggested the teachers should lose their jobs.
"Teachers get paid based on their years of experience and the type of degrees they've earned," Supt. J. Alvin Wilbanks said. "So if they've been paid on those degrees, that is going to have to be paid back."
A spokesman for the state Professional Standards Commission, which approved the six teachers' degrees last year, said it would no longer accept credits from St. Regis.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2004/03/24/394293-ap.html
