By: Donny Simcha Guttman

Whistleblowers recently blew the whistle on Gotham Professional Arts Academy’s “cheating” strategies to pass students in English and Math. According to a report in the NY Post, high school students in Gotham received the option of playing the game Dungeons & Dragons as an English class. Gotham’s description on the D & D course is, “Do you enjoy fantastical worlds filled with dragons and wizards and monsters galore? We teach the fundamental skills needed to play the game.” A student in Gotham and in the D & D “class” said that “During the course of the semester, I’d say I wrote about three to four paragraphs.” Another student remarked about the D&D “class” that “It’s more of a club.” Teachers of the school allege that a twice weekly session on weekly advisory meetings or homeroom sessions are also counted for English classes and other required credits.

According to records of the school, last year Gotham had a 91% graduation rate, though 79% of students were regularly recorded absent, while over half of the students were all considered not qualified for a college education. Teachers last July wrote a letter to a deputy of NYC Department of Education Chancellor David Banks about the practices of the school’s principal, the conductor of the shenanigans,” “For years now, our principal, Robert Michelin, has been falsifying credits by awarding students credits for courses they did not take. Students can do almost nothing and still pass. [F’s are] “highly discouraged. Teachers are verbally pressured to pass students.”

According to the staffing guideline of the school students’ grades, grades are purposefully directed to be inflated. As an example, a student that had a 49% average, could receive an average-level grade of C-. Additionally, a failing grade, or an F, is non-existent on the grading scale. Data from the NYC Department of Education shows that recent 8th and 9th graders all came into high school with failing grades in math and English, but in the first 2 years in high school, magically started making point gains in Math and English, especially compared to other nearby schools near Gotham.

The whistleblowers who wanted to remain anonymous in case of retribution, wrote their allegations to Superintendent Alan Cheng, who works for Chancellor Banks. In the email last July, whistleblowers allege that two students graduated despite them leaving the school and moving states while another two students who graduated “despite not attending or submitting assignments.” Some students, they alleged, “were given 2-3 gym credits for classes that did not occur.”

Also, the email states that “Most seniors from 2022 graduated with missing PBATs,” referring to the 5-thesis requirement which has the ability for high schoolers to replace obligatory Regent credits. An audit on the school for their practices was requested from the whistleblowers and was subsequently granted from Superintendent Cheng. However, due to a lack of action, whistleblowers then renewed efforts for an investigation by writing to Deputy Chancellor Desmond Blackburn, who oversees school superintendents. Blackburn, before responding, resigned from the Department. “It is clear the DOE is complicit in credit fraud, and truly does not care,” a teacher at Gotham remarked to the Post.

A CUNY Grad Center education professor remarked that, “They need to get the higher-ups to respond. Did they look into whether anything improper is going on? A DOE response is necessary to reassure students, parents, and the public that all academic standards are met.” A previous complaint against Principal Michelin was alleged in September 2020 for academic misconduct.