Directions: Read the summary, watch the videos and answer the discussion questions below. You may want to turn on the “CC” (closed-captions) function and read along with the transcript here.

Summary: On March 12th, federal prosecutors charged 50 people, including CEOs and celebrities, for securing college admission for their children through elaborate cheating plots and bribery. Since the scandal broke, widespread controversy and outrage has bubbled to the surface from families who feel cheated. High school students from around the country share their thoughts on the scandal and the inequities within higher education. “It’s easier to get into college if you’re rich. I feel like that’s just a given. Like, everyone knows that,” said high school student Eleanor Wirtz.

Jane Fonash, a school counselor for 24 years with Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia and now independent college consultant, also weighed in on the scandal. She emphasized the need for college counseling services in public schools across the country to help student and families navigate the process.

April 16, 2019 video and resource materials from PBS NewsHour.

Check out our Daily News Story collection, or find more at PBS NewsHour Extra.