Cheating Scandal Whistleblowers Tell Their Story

Los Angeles - The teachers who blew the whistle on administrators at the center of a cheating scandal at some Los Angeles charter schools are telling their story. It's something you'll see only here.

Gigi Graciette has their story in the video report.

Story Script:

LISA SIMS AND PATRICIA HARDISON WERE YOUR AVERAGE 1ST AND 2ND GRADE TEACHERS, BUT OUTSIDE THEIR CLASSROOMS, FAR FROM CRESCENDO CHARTER SCHOOLS, THEY WERE RISKING IT ALL TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

LISA SIMS/TEACHER
"IT WAS SUPER SECRETIVE. VERY SECRETIVE. SUPER SECRETIVE. WE DIDN'T WANT ANY NEWS. WE WERE HAVING SECRET CONVERSATIONS AT PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND SECRET PHONE CONVERSATIONS AND NOTHING BY EMAIL. WE WERE VERY, VERY WORRIED."

PATRICIA HARDISON/TEACHER
"THAT WAS NERVE-WRACKING BECAUSE AT THAT POINT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO TO TRUST."

THE MILD-MANNERED SCHOOL TEACHERS FORCED TO BECOME WHISTLE BLOWERS AFTER THEY SAY THEIR BOSS ASKED THEM TO DO THE UNTHINKABLE -- TO HELP STUDENTS CHEAT ON STATE TESTS.

LISA SIMS/TEACHER
"I ACTUALLY STOOD UP IN THE STAFF MEETING AND SAID 'ISN'T IT ILLEGAL TO LOOK AT THIS?' AND I HAD AN ADMINISTRATOR TELL ME 'OH I DON'T KNOW I NEVER READ THE AFFADAVIT. WE KNEW AND THAT'S WHY WE REPORTED IT."

SIMS AND HARDISON, ALONG WITH 70 OTHER CRESCENDO TEACHERS, HELPING LA UNIFIED AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION UNCOVER AN ELABORATE PLAN BY THE SCHOOLS FOUNDER.

SPEAKING EXCLUSIVELY TO FOX 11 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SCANDAL BROKE, THE TEACHERS TALKED ABOUT THOSE STRESSFUL MONTHS AS THEY SECRETLY HELPED SCHOOL INVESTIGATORS.

LISA SIMS/TEACHER
"THERE WERE PLENTY OF DAYS WHEN I'D GO INTO PATRICIA'S CLASSROOM AND CRY OR SHE'D COME INTO MINE AND WE'D CRY BECAUSE IT WAS HARD BUT WE WERE IN IT FOR THE KIDS SO WE WERE WILLING TO PUT UP WITH THE BAD"

SCARED AND STRESSED BUT COMMITTED, THEY SAY, TO PRACTICING WHAT THEY PREACH IN THE CLASSROOM -- TO NEVER EVER CHEAT.

LISA SIMS/TEACHER
"NEVER. WE KNEW WE HAD TO REPORT IT. THERE WAS NEVER A DOUBT."

THE INVESTIGATION LEADING THE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD TO FIRE JOHN ALLEN, WHO'S REFUSED ALL OF OUR REQUESTS FOR AN INTERVIEW.

THE SCANDAL HAS LEFT THE 7 SCHOOLS IN TURMOIL... WITH LA UNIFIED VOTING TO SHUT THEM DOWN, SETTING THE TEACHERS ON THEIR LATEST MISSION... TO SAVE THEIR SCHOOLS.

LISA SIMS/TEACHER
"I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THE KIDS AREN'T CHEATERS, THEY WERE CHEATED."