<p>I am not sure if this has been mentioned. Does the IRS get involved in this? Has he declared and paid taxes?</p>
<p>Bovertine: I saw the 60 minutes clip, and I have concluded that he is indeed an ignoramus. He has no unterstanding of right and wrong. It’s actually quite scary. </p>
<p>Schmohawk: “Here’s a good yiddish phrase to use and enjoy: Gonif Gadol [a huge thief]” I will have to add that to my arsenal. </p>
<p>Mini: The chances are that what I purported actually happened in at least one, if not most or all, of the cheating instances. If none of the cheaters got accepted into a college that they otherwise wouldn’t have, then that means that they wasted their money and that the whole scheme, illegal and only slightly consequential, was a big fat waste of time. </p>
<p>In any case, they attempted to do exactly what I previously described (get accepted into better colleges, and by doing so cheat others out of their futures). Here’s an analogy: a man who attempts to rob a bank, but fails for whatever reason(s). That doesn’t make what he did any less severe at least with respect to his intentions. </p>
<p>It’s not merely a visionary concept. It’s practical and probable. But I respect the freedom to have a differing opinion. I think we both agree his actions were wrong. I just see the repercussions of acts of cheating in a different light.</p>
<p>
Then there’s also willful ignorance. I’m not sure that qualifies a person as an ignoramus. OTOH, true ignorance of right and wrong reduces one’s culpability IMO. I don’t see that as the case here. But I haven’t seen the 60 Minutes story, and probably won’t.</p>
<p>When did this 60 Minute clip air? For some reason my dvr didn’t record it?</p>
<p>^^its on tonight…today is Sunday</p>
<p>I watched the 60 minutes clip, and this young man is about the most unappealing creature I’ve ever seen. I suspect that his parents are not cringing. He did not suddenly become an amoral sleazeball overnight. </p>
<p>I imagine that many doors will now be closed to him. Karma.</p>
<p>None of the students who have been named so far is from my town or its HS. I don’t know if Sam E took the test here as the schools where he tested have not been identified; however, my kids report that their IDs were checked (including my 2008 and 2009 grads) even though they took it at their home school. The school board sent out a letter which seemed to indicate that our school was not involved, but who really knows.</p>
<p>I don’t know that I have been too kind to the neighboring communities or not. North Shore Hebrew Academy is in Great Neck although it does draw from other LI communities, as well as from Queens. St. Mary’s is a Catholic school but not a top ranked one in the area. The top Catholic boys school around here is Chaminade, for the girls it’s Sacred Heart. I will admit to being more shocked that a kid from St. Mary’s was involved than that North Shore HA was involved. BTW, I am Jewish and was raised fairly Orthodox and attended Yeshiva myself. </p>
<p>Regardless, I think this kid Sam was raised in an environment of entitlement. As someone else pointed out, he could have made money tutoring and imparting his intelligence but he chose not to. The students who paid for his services could have studied harder or gone to lesser schools. They chose not to. They should all be punished. Tutoring for Sam but also maybe some time clearing trash at the side of the road in Wyandanch.</p>
<p>I can say that I live in a different state and the proctors hardly glance at the I.D.</p>
<p>Just curious: does CBS pay for these interviews? I mean, what was the incentive to tell all? Did Sam E. actually think he was going to convince people that what he did was okay?</p>
<p>My oldest son graduated from Emory in 2007…he is horrified that this kid is at Emory.</p>
<p>But NYmom is right…Sam might be arrogant now, but he might be eating humble pie in the near future. Imagine what will come up when future employers do a simple google search on his name…although there might be a few businesses who will find him an attractive candidate if they share the same lack of scruples!!!</p>
<p>
I once worked in a technical capacity in a sales office, and when candidates were interviewed for sales positions, the branch manager would say he had an important meeting in the afternoon, and made the applicant drive them to lunch downtown to a place with bad parking. If the applicant didn’t run through every red light and park in the first illegal spot, the boss wouldn’t hire him. So yes, there will be people who will value his skills.</p>
<p>^ That is a great, but disheartening story Dad<em>of</em>3. Holy cow.</p>
<p>Starbright, Apparently the sales mgr picked up this “skill” in some sales training where the regional manager was commending some salesman who was in a crowded downtown and parked in a handicapped spot. When someone on the street saw them getting out and politely pointed out that the spot was for the handicapped, apparently the salesman didn’t think twice, and replied politely, “Ma’am, I have a short *ick”, and just kept moving. </p>
<p>The entertaining of clients in the Orient was even more interesting, and I actually was banned from attending some of these dinners because of how they ended, and my inhibitions in participating in the post-dessert festivities made it look bad for the clients who did. The company had a great boom, and an even bigger bust, and to this day I don’t know how Ernst & Whinney signed off on all their audits - suspect the dinners worked.</p>
<p>He’s being charged with a felony? </p>
<p>Really? A felony? For cheating? Really?</p>
<p>They had to come up with a charge, any charge, from which to plead. Don’t make much of it - he’s not a poor kid who stole $50k from a bank.</p>
<p>"He’s being charged with a felony?</p>
<p>Really? A felony? For cheating? Really? "</p>
<p>Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. He created phony IDs and accepted money. It’s called fraud.</p>
<p>mini, </p>
<p>How would you feel if it were someone who took the driving test for 16 different people who couldn’t have passed themselves? Nothing wrong with that the way you reason, I guess. </p>
<p>Anyone else watch 60 Minutes?</p>
<p>Boy oh boy! I’m watching the special on CBS right now about the kid who got caught taking the SAT for pay. He is so cocky! </p>
<p>The kids who paid to have him take the exam are just as guilty as the kid who took the exam for pay. He should not be held as the fall guy while the kids who paid him to take the test get rewarded with higher test scores and more college choices. I have no doubt that many of the parents of the kids who hired this guy (or some other person) to take the test subsidized the cost.</p>
<p>I just saw it and I think it comes down to this: how would you feel if this cheat were your son? I think your answer will clearly tell you if you’re part of the problem. Or not.</p>
<p>And how would you feel if your son or daughter paid him to take the test? And how would you feel if you helped to pay him to take the test for your child? And how would you feel if your son or daughter was able to get into the college of his/her choice because he assured them a solid test score?</p>
<p>The paid test taker is not the only one at fault here. What about the parents who paid him to take the test?
What about the kids who relied on his test scores to get into college?</p>