Miami teacher degree scandal - 3 degrees in 2 months

I can't believe people are still trying to get away with bogus degrees!

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12164212.htm


Posted on Tue, Jul. 19, 2005


EDUCATION
Former Miami-Dade teachers indicted in certification scams
Two Miami-Dade teachers were indicted in separate cases that prosecutors say show problems with how the district checks teachers' credentials.
BY MATTHEW I. PINZUR
[email protected]

A former Miami-Dade high school teacher was indicted Monday, charged with running a company that sold worthless continuing-education classes that helped about 100 teachers renew their state licenses or qualify to teach additional subjects.

EDITED BY MODERATOR TO PROTECT COPYRIGHT

 

"I can't believe people are still trying to get away with bogus degrees!"

I can, people are greedy (and dishonest), it's very profitable, and many people don't check.....

Many people do get caught (as in the story), but many do not due to the general ignorance of law enforcment and the public.

 

Please elaborate on your last paragraph, particularily on your statement relating to the general ignorance of law enforcement.

 

Perhaps by "general ignorance of law enforcement," he means merely that many, indeed most, law enforcement personnel do not know how to identify which DL degrees are legit and which are degree mill diplomas. [Perhaps this is because busting degree mill holders doesn't seem to rate as highly as busting a bunch of mean, nasty rapists, robbers, murderers, pimps, and drug dealers either in the cop's mind or in the mind of the public who employs him and pays his salary.] There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, and to this rule, the exceptions that most readily come to mind would be guys like Bruce Tait and Craig Novick, esteemed members of this very board. Remember that "ignorant" need not necessarily mean across-the-board "dumb as a box of rocks"; it can also mean "uninformed in certain areas." I confess that I am pretty ignorant when it comes to things like quantum physics and nuclear engineering (and many other fields as well, too numerous to list). But that is okay with me, because I am fairly knowledgeable about history, political science, business, and dl degrees, fields that I care deeply about.

 

The great majority of law enforcement in the US occurs at the local (county/city/town) level, which, for better or worse, doesn't view bogus degrees as a priority. I'm pretty sure that any detective where I work would have a lot of explaining to do to his sergeant if he started investigating fake DL schools.

 

Yes, Bruce, I was explaining to the previous poster in question that busting rapists, robbers, & murderers does (and should) take priority over investigations of fake degree holders and/or purveyors.

 

As Dr. Bear points out, degree mills exist for the same reasons that prostitutes and drug dealers exist: there exists a demand for their products/services. The only way to put degree mills out of business is if people were to stop buying their products. And, despite much evidence to the contrary, people seem to think that they will be able to get away with not only buying but using a degree mill degree. It is like putting a time bomb on one's resume. And usually they get caught when something good happens to them (like winning the Teacher of the Year Award). But I guess this latest fiasco is just more proof that people can be idiots.