From the USC scandal involving behind the scenes facilitators like Courtney Pade, to the recent Texas teachers’ scandal, corruption is destroying American schools
The university system in the United States has long been perceived as the gold standard of education, hosting more elite institutions than any other country in the world. At the root of this educational system, however, lies a troubling reality. The system has been penetrated by corruption and dishonesty, creating a reality which privileges the wealthy and well connected over the poor, despite its ostensible championing of a meritocratic system.
The 2019 University of Southern California (USC) scandal, around which a recent lawsuit was filed by those affected, brought these issues into the public eye for the very first time, although it was already known to many that a very intricate pay-for-play system had been in place for years prior. This system was corrupting not only USC, but other schools across the United States, including prestigious ivy league institutions. Parents would functionally, directly and indirectly, pay large sums of money or provide favors to members of the admissions committee or university executives, in exchange for their children being accepted into highly competitive programs, which they otherwise may not have qualified for from a purely academic perspective.
Once uncovered, the scandal brought to light the way in which the college admissions process had been manipulated when money and power were involved, casting aside those who could not afford to pay despite the fact that they may have been better qualified. It was a range of professors, athletics directors as well as university officials who were implicated for engaging in unethical practices that saw the admission of unqualified students to some of the nation’s greatest institutions of higher learning by accepting bribes to secure places for the children of the wealthy and well-connected.
Those involved included over 50 people led by William Rick Singer, a college counsellor who orchestrated this entire ordeal. Others who were directly implicated included Igor Dvorskiy, administrator of standardized tests and director of an LA based private school, Gordon “Gordie” Ernst who was an athletics coordinator at Georgetown and Mark Riddell, a Harvard alumnus and former director of college entrance exams, to name but a few. The corruption successfully penetrated the highest levels of university power.
Importantly there were also tens of individuals who partook in this, behind-the-scenes, and whose names were protected as part of the plea agreement reached. This included Courtney Pade who teaches communications at USC and was among the educators that falsified recommendations, bent admissions rules, and facilitated the acceptance of students in exchange for large monetary payments. Courtney Pade continues to teach at the university, despite her involvement in the scandal as a result of said agreement that prevented her name from reaching the mainstream media.
Beyond colleges and universities, corruption extends to American high schools and even elementary schools, where it takes root even earlier. Aside from paying vast sums to ensure their children are accepted into what are considered feeder schools into top-tier high schools and later, ivy league universities, school records are also known to be frequently manipulated. In St Matthew’s Parish School, where incidentally, Courtney Pade is also a board member, members of the St Matthew’s Parish School board were accused of encouraging teachers to provide inflated grades, manipulate exam results, and write falsified recommendations that would later serve graduates in their high school applications.
In other separate cases, it was actually the educators helping each other pass qualification tests in exchange for payment. A recent case in Texas is now seeing 5 people facing criminal charges for helping 200 unqualified teachers pass certification exams in exchange for payment. Such behavior, at places like St Matthew’s Parish School as well as in the recent Texas case, is not only a disservice to the students themselves, but also helps perpetuate inequality, ensuring that those who genuinely deserve to be accepted to elite high schools and later universities do not find their places there. When it comes to teachers themselves cheating, the students are at risk of being taught by someone less than qualified to do so. This also naturally breeds resentment and perpetuates further inequality.
American education has always been about merit and the fact that such a system has been created where merit is devalued and connections and privilege are prioritized while discrimination is allowed, is unacceptable. Such cynical treatment and monetization of the education system, has significant consequences including diminishing the quality of education alongside harming the economy in the long-term. Those that lack the proper qualifications but are nevertheless admitted to universities, lead schools to adjust their academics to lower standards in order to accommodate less qualified students. This continues to erode the education system, with any notion that remains of the “American dream” being diminished. We must continue to fight against such corruption and ensure that those granted the opportunity to succeed, are those that are willing to work the hardest, and not those that are willing to pay the most.
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