http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/060806/
loc_2006080604.shtml
By DAVE GROVES
Of The Oakland Press
June 8, 2006
BLOOMFIELD HILLS - The principal of the acclaimed
International
Academy said he believes the school's image will not be
marred by what
he describes as serious but immature mistakes made by five
students.
Bert Okma said he and other academy employees are completing
an
investigation into the mostly freshmen students' hacking of
a school
information system and the alteration of several academic
grade
records.
"I think they saw it as a game ... and a chance to
improve their
academic standing," the principal said. "If they
had been willing to
dedicate as much time to their studies as they did to this,
we
wouldn't be dealing with the issue."
Administrators have had extensive conversations with the
students, who
came forward after several teachers recognized disparities
between
grades in their personal records and those appearing on the
school's
computer system.
An investigation revealed that sometime in November, the
students had
installed software on the system that provided them with
faculty user
names and passwords.
International Academy's Joint Steering Committee has
reviewed the
situation and determined that the five students will face
disciplinary
action ranging from loss of academic credit to expulsion.
The extent of the consequences will be determined through
hearings
conducted with school officials, the students and their
parents in
coming weeks. Okma said mitigating circumstances will be
considered
individually at that time.
Students also could face criminal charges depending on the
investigation fi ndings and desires of school
administrators.
Lt. Steve Cook of the Bloomfield Township Police Department
said that
the school has not yet requested police involvement in the
matter.
"Depending on what their investigation reveals, could
there be
criminal charges issued? I would say there is that
possibility," he
said.
Cook did not want to speculate on potential charges.
Meanwhile, academy staff are undertaking the daunting task
of
reviewing all test grades recorded for all students this
year. This is
because the students responsible for the computer security
breach are
suspected to have changed both their own grades and those of
others.
Okma said that while teachers are frustrated, disappointed
and hurt by
the revelation, they remain resolved not to let it mar the
overwhelmingly positive view they have of the student body
as a whole.
Okma believes the same sentiment will prevail outside the
school.
"The reputation of the International Academy is sound
and well-earned,
and I don't see this impacting that," he explained.
"Everybody
understands that young people can make mistakes."
And such mistakes on the part of local youth are not
unprecedented.
Last month, three North Farmington High School students were
suspended
after obtaining staff passwords to district computers.
Officials are
working to fi gure out what the students intended to do with
the
information.
The Farmington Hills Police Department is investigating the
matter.
Chief William Dwyer said felony charges could come next
month.
"It's still ongoing," he said. "This is
an extensive investigation."
Farmington school officials were alerted to the theft after
a student
came forward to report the incident. With the passwords, the
students
would have had to access the system while at school and not
at home.
Officials do not know if any of the students accessed the
system.
No information on the students has been released.
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