College cheating scandal should make blue-collar families absolutely furious

[Elizabeth Paige Laurie]

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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.

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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