A community takes action and says "enough is enough" to cheating and corruption in the El Paso Independent School District. 

Parents, educators and community leaders have come together to call for a demand for change in the school district. "Kids First" launched a petition drive to reform EPISD. 

"What is happening in this district is appalling," said educator Frances Wever. 

Hundreds of parents, community members and educators attended former State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh's town hall meeting at UTEP Thursday night. The signed petitions and participated in an emotionally charged meeting. 

"We've got to take a district that's a complete mess and fix it. We've got to be proud of EPISD and that means we have to roll up our sleeves and get these reforms going now," said Shapleigh 

Those reforms include making restitution to the hundreds of students cheated out of their education. 

"We need to make sure they get a quality education. In America today, if you don't have a high school diploma, where do you start?" asked Shapleigh 

City Council Rep. Susie Byrd, whose three children attend EPISD, said it's very important that the district identify the students who suffered because of the cheating scandal and work to help them restore their educational opportunities. 

"There were a lot of kids that were harmed by this, the cheating scheme. They need to be identified and a plan of action needs to be put in place to identify how to restore their educational opportunities to them and make sure they get the appropriate education," said Byrd. 

"There are students that need an education. They are now 18, 19 years old those kids need to be restored," said Shapleigh. 

The petition also demands full restitution and recovery, making EPISD a model for transparency and training for board of trustees. Shapleigh said it's important the district fix certain business practices to prevent similar corruption from happening again including fix contracting issues and hiring independent auditors and establishing checks and balances. 

The petition demands the resignation of any board member or employee who was aware of or involved in the cheating scandal 

"We as the public don't know who they are. But we certainly would hope that those people who know they participated in illegal or unethical ways, would just step down and give the organization a chance to grow and thrive without their presence," said Byrd. 

Shapleigh said the current board members who served during 2010 need to go. 

"They've known for a long time there were deep issues at EPISD. Those folks who didn't do their job -- need to step down. Do us the respect as a community a step down and save us the time and effort of having to ask to remove you in court," said Shapleigh. 

It might be a long road ahead but Byrd said it can happen. 
"There's no more gaming of the system when it comes to our kid's education and strengthening the organization so its only mission is educating our kids," said Byrd. 

Shapleigh said the EPISD cheating scandal is the worst education cheating scheme to ever happen in the United States.