College Cheating and the Code

The scandal of the week has to do with wealthy parents paying large sums of money to a man who had various ways of being sure that their children would get into the college they wanted.  We’re not sure exactly what laws were broken, but those involved could end up spending time in jail.  There are many lessons that can be learned from this sad story, and we encourage you to discuss this with your team.  The Code says, “I will compete within the spirit and letter of the rules of my sport.”  There is always a temptation to break a rule, to try to get away with a “minor” violation of the rules.  Many times we can do it and get away with it.  But, at a critical time, the whistle may blow, and we are caught, and the consequences may be dire.  This can happen in a game, or it can happen in thousands of ways throughout our lives.  Learning to play by the rules is an important lesson to learn.  How can you pay more attention to the rules in your sport, in your school, classroom, and in the world?