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Ex-principal is no-show in test cheating trial

Judge Jerry Baxter listens to testimony during the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial in Fulton County Superior Court, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014, in Atlanta. Prosecutors say 12 former Atlanta Public Schools educators and administrators cheated, lied and stole as part of a widespread but cleverly disguised conspiracy to inflate state test scores that affected thousands of students. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kent D. Johnson, Pool)
Judge Jerry Baxter listens to testimony during the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial in Fulton County Superior Court, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014, in Atlanta. Prosecutors say 12 former Atlanta Public Schools educators and administrators cheated, lied and stole as part of a widespread but cleverly disguised conspiracy to inflate state test scores that affected thousands of students. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kent D. Johnson, Pool) Judge Jerry Baxter listens to testimony during the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating trial in Fulton County Superior Court, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014, in Atlanta. Prosecutors say 12 former Atlanta Public Schools educators and administrators cheated, lied and stole as part of a widespread but cleverly disguised conspiracy to inflate state test scores that affected thousands of students. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kent D. Johnson, Pool)

ATLANTA (AP) – A former principal testifying in the Atlanta Public Schools cheating trial failed to show up in court, prompting the judge to ask prosecutors to find him.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (http://on-ajc.com/1pQigX2) that former Gideons Elementary School Principal Armstead Salters had testified Tuesday for the prosecution and was supposed to return Wednesday for more examination by attorneys.

When Salters didn’t show up Wednesday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter told prosecutors to find Salters or “the police will go get him.”

An initial indictment implicated 35 former Atlanta Public Schools educators in the scandal that involved widespread cheating on state tests.

Without Salters, Wednesday’s testimony began with former Gideons Elementary School teacher Oliver Banks, who testified about teachers changing scores on the standardized tests.

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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com