Educational Fraud, You Need Not Look Far

Today, Valerie Strauss of  the Washington Post reports on a set of fraud cases that are but the tip of an iceberg in secondary education.

This has long been one of my special interests as the undeserving leap-frog the deserving systemically with open eyes and welcoming hospitality.

A few years ago, a fellow BOE member once whispered to me, "So what if her Dad gave her a helping hand, why not!"

Here's an excerpt from the Post,

"Following are excerpts from the explosive 204-page criminal complaint charging more than 30 wealthy people — including Hollywood actors and college coaches — in a years-long scheme to bribe and cheat to get their children into exclusive colleges and universities.

The Washington Post story on the complaint says:

The alleged crimes included cheating on entrance exams, as well as bribing college officials to say certain students were coming to compete on athletic teams when those students were not in fact athletes.

The criminal complaint paints an ugly picture of high-powered individuals committing crimes to get their children into selective schools. Among those charged are actresses Felicity Huffman, best known for her role on the television show “Desperate Housewives,” and Lori Loughlin, who appeared on “Full House,” according to court documents.

[FBI accuses wealthy parents, including celebrities, in college-entrance bribery scheme]

According to the criminal complaint, the schools targeted included Georgetown University, Stanford University, UCLA, the University of San Diego, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Austin, Wake Forest University and Yale University.

The complaint says that many of the children involved did not know what their parents had done to get them into school."

I think that list is short a school or two.

The system remains gamed to favor the sons and daughters of entitlement, privilege, wealth, and political pull.  Critics of educational reform usually have a vested stake in this game.  These occasional speed bumps will do little to change it.