Mother accused of changing her daughter’s high school grades

A Pennsylvania mother is accused of illegally changing her daughter’s grades and reducing those of two other students to enhance the teenager’s standing in her 2008 graduating class.

According to reports, the mother, Caroline Maria McNeal worked as a secretary at her daughter’s high school in Huntingdon, Pa, and between May 2006 and July 2007, she used the passwords of three co-workers to tamper with dozens of grades and test score for her daughter, Brittany.

The 39-year-old secretary at Huntingdon Area High School was charged with 29 counts of unlawful use of a computer and 29 counts of tampering with public records.

It is believed that McNeal altered almost 200 scores and grades during Brittany’s four years at the central Pennsylvania high school, however, school officials were able to correct her grades before she graduated.

Officials became aware of the situation in October 2007 when an employee of the high school guidance office discovered conflicting SAT scores for Brittany.

Scores that were provided by the College Board showed Brittany had a cumulative score of 1370, while the score that was entered into the school’s computer was 1730.

During an investigation, it was revealed that the score was entered from Caroline’s computer almost two weeks before SAT scores for other students were entered.

When questioned, three other employees told investigators they had shared their passwords with Caroline while they either were on vacation or absent from school.

If convicted, Caroline faces seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Brittany has not been charged with any wrongdoing.