Mom Hacks Into School Computer, Changes Her Kids' Grades

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/07/22/mom-hacks-into-school-computer-system-changes-her-kids-grades/#ixzz21SsLzUZa

by lambersley • 14 years ago

42 29 14 years ago

newsfeed.time.com

drKarl• 14 years ago

It reminds me of this xkcd http://xkcd.com/327/

ps258• 14 years ago

This one is a bit relevant too. http://xkcd.com/341/

3pt14159• 14 years ago

Funny story: Same mom in both comics.

username3• 14 years ago

Venusto was arraigned this week on three counts of unlawful use of a computer and three counts of computer trespassing and altering data.

Are there laws like these for filing cabinets if she changed grades recorded on paper?

famousactress• 14 years ago

I suppose the analogs would be breaking&entering and fraud? I can't imagine this crime in the physical world would land someone with six felony charges though. That's pretty intense.

activepeanut• 14 years ago

  February, 2012, she was accused of changing her son’s 98
  to a 99

That's like robbing a bank for a single dollar.

pavel_lishin• 14 years ago

That's what I thought, but I imagine that it was a matter of averages - that small bump probably placed him on an academic honors list, or made him eligible for a scholarship.

lambersley• 14 years ago

Other sources say she also changed her daughter's failing grade (F) to medical exemption (M)

philip1209• 14 years ago

At least robbing a bank for a dollar can have a rational backing [1].

[1] http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/nc-man-allegedly-robs-...

gizmo686• 14 years ago

I would say that is closer to hacking the justice system then robbing a bank. Still, any civilized government should offer all of its citizens at least the same rights and benefits as that countries criminals.

calvinlough2• 14 years ago

"Hacks" is quite an exaggeration. She worked at the school district as a secretary and had access to the grading software.

Auguste• 14 years ago

This seems to be the new definition of "hack", just like when somebody "hacks" into your Facebook account and posts rude messages when they visit your home and find your phone or computer unlocked.

calvinlough2• 14 years ago

I agree, but I would also say that the title was trying to evoke the traditional meaning.

mentalbastille• 14 years ago

I think in this context, they are defining "hack" as "access computer system without authorization".

impendia• 14 years ago

>State police said she admitted to changing the grades, but thought her actions were merely unethical— not illegal.

Riiight. I suppose that if 5% of people could possibly believe that, then .95^12 = .5403... could be worse.

Tloewald3• 14 years ago

I'm guessing people who believe something that dumb will be less likely to get out of jury duty or be excused.

wyclif• 14 years ago

Not hacking. Not even on the same level as Wargames.

niels_olson• 14 years ago

I had a Marine come into my clinic over the weekend, complaining of a head cold that had lasted for two weeks. His mom came with him. He had a sniffle. The physical exam screamed viral. The rapid strep test was negative. I advised my standard care for viral upper respiratory infections. He was fine with that but looked at me like a whipped puppy while his mom berated me for not prescribing an antibiotic.

Later, a 35 yo woman with chronic supperative otitis media comes in, she's had chunks of her skull removed and can't hear out of her right ear because her eardrum doesn't exist any more, comes in with her dad because she can't drive due to chronic vestibular dysfunction (she's been dizzy since she was 5). She is a portrait of misery, holding back tears during the exam, profusely apologetic for coming in, this is her first infection in 2 years and she's just in absolute despair because she doesn't want more surgery, and begs for the antibiotic only because the antibiotic-steroid combo, in her experience, hurts more and promises she will got to the ER if she gets a headache. Dad says bip the entire time and thanks me for seeing her on short notice on the way out the door.

Has this dichotomy always been present in society and I'm just now at the level where I see it?

TheSOB88• 14 years ago

Yes. There have always been parents that are simply children who got older before they got wiser.

sp3322• 14 years ago

Probably the marine is a quiet guy, and his mom (perhaps incorrectly) feels like she has to stand up for him. OTOH the girl seems to be making her case pretty well so the father feels like he doesn't have to add anything to the convo.

inuhj• 14 years ago

At tumor board a few weeks ago a patient presented with a massive, benign head tumor that had been partially resected.

resident presents the case and asks for surgery's opinion Surgeons: No, it's better to wait until the cavity heals(from the previous surgery) and then evaluate. Resident: His mother is insisting. Surgeons: We're not going to do it because his mom insists. Me: How old is the patient? Resident: late 30s.

jdietrich• 14 years ago

Related anecdote:

For a time, I volunteered for a charity that provided general advice and support, mainly on issues of welfare, money and debt.

The longer I was there, the more obvious it became that most of the people I saw were simply fuck-ups. Although a minority simply had bad luck, most of them were simply unable and unwilling to responsibly manage even the most basic aspects of their lives. In hindsight, this is completely obvious - responsible, resourceful people rarely have need to seek help in running their lives.

Likewise, medics see a completely distorted picture of human health. They see a grossly disproportionate number of people from the minority of the population who are hypochondriacs, or have some form of somatoform disorder, or who chronically abuse their body. Conversely, they only infrequently come into contact with people who don't like to cause a fuss, or people with medical phobias.

There is data to suggest that police officers believe that they are much better than the general population at spotting lies, but are in fact much worse. The best explanation for this is that police officers habitually deal with people who are simply very bad at deceit - skilled criminals are rarely caught, whilst the most incompetent of petty thieves may be arrested several times a week. Officers believe that they know what a lie looks like because they are constantly dealing with people who lie, but in fact the only know what a very bad lie looks like.

Tloewald3• 14 years ago

Very interesting stuff about police. Do you have citations?

markyc• 14 years ago

hacks or reactivates old account?

ngokevin• 14 years ago

42 years? That must be more than manslaughter.

sp3322• 14 years ago

The reporter just added up the maximum possible sentence for 6 class-3 felonies. This is SOP in reporting on crimes even though there's no way she'll get that.

joshlegs• 14 years ago

>>According to District Attorney’s office spokeswoman Debbie Garlicki, Venusto could face up to 42 years in prison or a $90,000 fine if convicted.

Something about that statement just seems absurdly wrong. Maybe it's the 42 years of prison or $90,000 for changing her child's grade.

Tloewald3• 14 years ago

The mom is a douche, but the prison sentence possible is nuts. I doubt she'd be up for such a sentence if she'd rammed a stolen truck into the buildings and changed paper records.

Mom Hacks Into School Computer, Changes Her Kids' Grades

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