Federal prosecutors indicted dozens of people who were allegedly a part of a massive nationwide college admissions scheme on March 12th. The indictment lists individuals who are being charged with committing a series of crimes in order to ensure that their children were admitted to the top schools in the nation. Those who were indicted include wealthy parents, actresses, coaches, SAT/ACT administrators, and others. The man responsible for orchestrating the scheme, William Rick Singer, has plead guilty to the charges against him and is said to be currently working with prosecutors in the case. While details regarding the scheme are still emerging, the scheme provides an example of the impact that white-collar crime has on individuals, in addition to highlighting the pervasive nature of inequality in institutions other than the criminal justice system.
Instructors, click on the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt, a debate question, as well as other assessment questions.
Video
Articles
Assessment
- Writing: How does the college admission scandal highlight inequality in social institutions?
- Debate: Universities should hold all of the students who were involved responsible for the actions of their parents.
- Poll: Do you believe that the class status of those involved will play a role in how the individuals charged are punished?
- Short Answer: What is white collar crime? Identify some of the crimes that were committed by the individuals who have been charged or indicted by federal prosecutors.
Current Events Quiz
1. According to news reports, Rick Singer, was paid as much as _____ million by parents.
a. 10
b. 15
c. 25
d. 50
2. How many indictments were handed down in the college cheating scandal?
a. 10
b. 20
c. 25
d. 50
The founder of the organization responsible for orchestrating the cheating, William Singer, entered a guilty plea for which of the following crimes?
a. tax fraud and forgery
b. racketeering conspiracy and money laundering
c. corporate espionage and insider trading
d. extortion and identity theft
- The investigation into the cheating scandal was referred to as Operation Varsity Blues. (T/F)
- The individuals indicted in the college scheme are only facing criminal charges. (T/F)
- Despite the indictments and the allegations made against the individuals involved, they are not likely to face serious time in prison. (T/F)
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