Atlanta Progressive News

(APN) ATLANTA — Shawnna Hayes-Tavares, a candidate for Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education (APS BOE) District 6, lied to Clarkston Police when pulled over for speeding, the police report, obtained by Atlanta Progressive News shows.

 

 

On August 08, 2011, at 8:20 in the morning, Officer Shea observed Hayes-Tavares speeding–apparently in a school zone–and pulled her over at the Atlanta School for the Deaf parking lot at 908 N. Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston.

 

 

The problem was, she was driving without a valid drivers license because her license was suspended.

 

 

However, instead of being honest with the officer, Hayes-Tavares decided to try to evade justice by giving a false name to the officer, the report states.

 

 

“I approached the vehicle and made contact with the driver and explained to her the reason for the stop.  The driver then produced to get [sic] her vehicle registration copy and said, ‘I left my license home,’” the report states.

 

 

“I asked the drive [sic] to write her name and DOB on the back of her registration card, which she wrote down as Carla Aniagoh, DOB [redacted]… 1965,” the report states.

 

 

“Upon checking her name and DOB on the NCIC [National Crime Information Center], it indicated no driver found.  I re-approached the driver; she once again said ‘Carla Aniagoh is my name and I was born on [redacted]… 1965,’” the report states.

 

 

“I ran the same name three more times on NCIC and it still indicated no driver found.  I then requested the driver to call her husband to obtain her OLN [Operator License Number],” the report states.

 

 

“During the course of our conversation, the driver appeared nervous, as she was dialing; she finally said ‘my real name is Shawnna Tavares and I was born on 09/25/1965,’” the report states.

 

 

“When I ran Ms. Tavares on NCIC, it indicated her GA license was suspended on 04/07/2004.  Consequently I arrested Ms. Tavares for driving while license is suspended, 40-5-121 citation #128040 and giving false name and DOB to officer, 12-44, citation #128041.  Ms Tavares was also cited for speeding, 40-6-181, citation #128039,” the reports states.

 

 

“Ms. Tavares was later transported to DeKalb County Jail and released to jail personnel without incident,” the report states.

 

 

Previously, APN reported Hayes-Tavares’s arrest, and that, in a separate set of incidents, she was implicated in a series of financial mismanagement issues involving the Parent Teachers Association at Jean Childs Young Middle School.

 

 

Following the publication of the article, comments defending Hayes-Tavares and attacking APN appeared in the comments section for the article on the APN website.  APN later determined they were all coming from the same IP address: Hayes-Tavares’s IP address.

 

 

Hayes-Tavares claimed there were three people at her house posting the comments, but failed to provide their names or phone numbers.  The claim does not seem credible.

 

 

Hayes-Tavares did not respond to any of the issues raised in APN’s reporting, and has not made any correction requests.

 

 

Hayes-Tavares requested that APN not contact her again and said that would be sending a response and legal documents.  Neither any response nor legal documents have arrived.

 

 

Also, it should be noted that, prior to APN’s revelation of troubling facts concerning Hayes-Tavares, she had only glowing comments to make about the publication.

 

 

Only days before, Hayes-Tavares praised an article about four APS BOE candidate who are alumni of Teach for America.

 

 

“Good job!  Their agenda must be exposed and we must be careful about the future direction of APS!  GOOD JOURNALISM WORK!” Hayes-Tavares wrote in a text message to APN.

 

 

However, after APN exposed the truth about Hayes-Tavares, she pontificated, “I thought you [sic] about progress, not regress!”

 

 

Hayes-Tavares is running for the District 6 seat vacated by Yolanda Johnson.

 

 

Other candidates in the race include Dell Byrd, Eshe Collins, and Anne McKenzie.  APN has interviewed Hayes-Tavares and McKenzie on the issues.

 

 

APN will be sending a questionnaire to Byrd.  Collins has not returned numerous calls seeking comment; APN has reported, however, on her connection with Teach for America, which is pushing alumni to run for office, apparently to push their privatization agenda.  

 

 

(END/2013)