Trouble
...d in an act of defiance, local teachers unqualified to teach our curriculum were employed. Clearly they didn’t do their job. Boredom and intellectual indolence overcame us. In my quest to appease my intellectual hunger I joined a friend in learning the intricacies of computer programming. We downloaded e-books, joined online forums and capitalized on the resources available to us. We mastered the basics, and after acquiring the ability to construct our own programs our sights turned elsewhere. Nothing would have been ‘cooler’ then to have control over the school’s network of computers. What started out as a challenge steadily spiraled out of control. Temptation and avarice manipulated our immature 9th –grader minds. Each step forward was like a key to a lock, ending in our acquisition of the coveted ‘administrator’ password. Although unintentional, it wasn’t long before I could see the reflections of inverted A’s and B’s in the computer screen. Temptation seized us, and for the most miniscule of changes we committed the ultimate act of academic dishonesty. “Which of your friends were involved?” Mr. Chapin’s demeanor jerked me into reality. I never did realize the gravity of the situation – the sheer impact of what I had done. Now I did. I was in deep, I was repentant and I was going to admit everything, however, my best friend and intellectual machine of our class, Johnny presented a complication. He had prior knowledge of my misdemeanor and was involved to an extent. They knew it. My conscious couldn’t bear the onus of the destruction of another’s unblemished academic re...