DEAR ABBY: Our high school honors English teacher announced that four kids turned in the same term paper. They copied it off the Internet. The teacher said these students should no longer be in honors classes or the Honor Society.
One of the kids' fathers is president of the school board. The principal said, "This has all been a mistake, and it shouldn't affect their future." Then he nominated the son of the school board president for a distinguished award.
My younger siblings will be attending this school in the fall. What should I tell them about this messed-up system? –- CYNICAL BIG BROTHER
DEAR CYNICAL: Tell them the truth: There are serious ethical challenges in the school's administration. Unfortunately, it's an early lesson that some people in authority blatantly misuse their positions of power.