Sometimes it’s hard to get what we want. Others get to go first. Others are chosen for a team or a part in a play. No matter how hard we try, others earn higher grades. Others get to have things we do not have enough money to buy. We want success, too, but how will we ever get it with these obstacles?
In 2019, a big college admissions scandal came to light. It was discovered that university staff at some ivy-league universities (such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale) were accepting bribery from parents to let their students into these schools. It’s taken years for the courts to sort out this scandal, with some people involved being sentenced for their crimes just this year. Let’s take a look.
Play the following video for your students [3:24; stop at 2:12]:
College admissions scandal mastermind sentenced to 3.5 years for conspiracy
The parents involved in this scandal wanted their children to go to the best schools in the country—even if they had to be unethical and deceitful to make it happen.
- Have you ever wanted something so badly that you were tempted to do whatever it took to get it—such as doing something sneaky or telling a few fibs? What was it that you wanted? How did that work out for you? (Answers and experiences will vary. Accept them without judgement.)
- Now, think about some examples of when you felt deceived by someone who was dishonest in order to get what he or she wanted. What was the situation? How did it affect you? (Answers will vary.)
Our lesson today is about Absalom. He wanted to be king, but he knew his chances were slim. Let’s see what schemes he resorted to in order to achieve success his way. And let’s see how that turned out for him.
