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College cheating scandal should make blue-collar families absolutely furious

Cross-posted to 5 groups.

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Liberal Democrats, too lazy and stupid to compete 
scholastically.  This is the result of the present day inferior 
California school system, once the envy of the entire free 
world, after 40 years of Democrat control and parasitic 
socialist union infestation.

TAGS: Cheat Lie Bribe Obama Ignorant Liberal Dumb Crime College 
High School Sports USC Coach ACT Democrat LA Times, Washington 
Post, NY Times Elite Hollywood TV Media Twitter youTube Scumbags 
Kiss Your Job Goodbye

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I grew up in a blue-collar family and earned admission to an Ivy 
League university based on good grades and high test scores. So 
I was outraged to learn Tuesday of an alleged college admissions 
scam under which rich parents are accused of paying a total of 
about $25 million in bribes to fraudulently get their students 
admitted to some of America’s top universities.

I’m sure that many people around the country who’ve worked hard 
for what they have – including those who come from poor and blue-
collar backgrounds – are furious as well.

America is the land of opportunity, where regardless of your 
background or economic standing you have the ability to create a 
better life for yourself and your children. Like millions of 
other Americans, I’m a product of that meritocracy.

My great-grandparents and one grandparent immigrated to America 
to escape persecution in Eastern Europe. While they didn’t speak 
any English upon arrival, they were willing to work hard.

My father built upon that work ethic and became an electrician. 
Although he didn’t have a college degree, he instilled financial 
and life lessons in his own children. That allowed me, in turn, 
to put in my own hard work and get into an Ivy League school on 
merit.

I can’t imagine being turned down for admission to the 
university of my choice because someone who didn’t put in the 
same work or effort that I did to do well in high school cheated 
the system.

While my parents couldn’t afford to pay for my education, I paid 
my way with the help of academic scholarships, by working while 
studying, and by taking out loans. I was able to attend The 
Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania as 
an undergraduate, achieve good grades, become successful and 
achieve the American Dream.

My story is not unusual. It is the story of many millions of 
Americans and why our country is a magnet for immigrants from 
around the world.

Unfortunately, there are people who like to look for shortcuts. 
If true, the alleged college admissions scandal spelled out in 
an indictment by federal prosecutors in Boston Tuesday is a 
stunning example of this.

Thirty-three wealthy parents were indicted, along with the 
founder of an admissions consulting company, over a dozen 
college athletic coaches, two test administrators and a test 
proctor.

Among the rich and famous parents charged in the alleged scam 
were actresses Lori Laughlin and Felicity Huffman.

According to prosecutors, some coaches took bribes to falsely 
say students who were not actually competitive athletes were 
being recruited to join school sports teams. In other cases, 
cheating was allegedly used to inflate student SAT and ACT test 
scores – including using a skilled test-taker to pose as 
students whose parents had paid for the fraud.

This admissions fraud fuels the fire of the debate of the “haves 
vs. the have nots” in society. It creates the impression that – 
while this admissions scandal is likely a rare practice – all 
you need is to be born wealthy to buy your way into a better 
life, while those not born into wealth are doomed to a life with 
little or no economic mobility.

This abuse of the system took away spots at prestigious 
universities from those who put in the effort to earn those 
spots without using connections or money. This was a tremendous 
injustice to these students.

I know how meaningful it was for me to be able to see the fruits 
of my own efforts rewarded. I can’t imagine being turned down 
for admission to the university of my choice because someone who 
didn’t put in the same work or effort that I did to do well in 
high school cheated the system.

Those who try to game the system also devalue the educations of 
people who earned their admissions on merit – especially those 
who come from more modest backgrounds. It sullies the value of 
the education and creates a perception that we also must have 
done something wrong or unsavory by having the same degree as 
those who bought it.

Moreover, this admissions fraud fuels the fire of the debate of 
the “haves vs. the have nots” in society. It creates the 
impression that – while this admissions scandal is likely a rare 
practice – all you need is to be born wealthy to buy your way 
into a better life, while those not born into wealth are doomed 
to a life with little or no economic mobility.

Rich people who use their money to cheat and get around the 
rules that apply to the rest of us give talking points to anti-
capitalist, anti-American politicians and activists who seek to 
tear down our system. In fact, cheating is the anti-American 
behavior.

Sadly, the alleged perpetrators of the purported college 
admissions scam had abundant resources available to them, 
including strong secondary schools and tutors, to give their 
kids a legitimate advantage in applying to college.

Karma will likely catch up with these bad actors because when 
you aren’t qualified or hardworking, you will eventually be 
found out. But that karmic justice does little to quell initial 
anger related to their actions.

Hopefully, an example will be made of the perpetrators in this 
scandal to help preserve the notion that regardless of your 
background, America truly does allow you to succeed on your 
merits.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/college-cheating-scandal-should-
make-working-and-middle-class-families-furious
   

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College cheating scandal should make blue-collar families absolutely furious "Elizabeth Paige Laurie" <cblasey@paloaltou.edu> - 2019-03-17 13:04 +0100

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