3rd Grader Accused of Hacking Schools' Computer System

Gud writes "According to The Washington Post a 9-year-old was able to hack into his county's school computer network and change such things as passwords, course work, and enrollment info. From the article: 'Police say a 9-year-old McLean boy hacked into the Blackboard Learning System used by the county school system to change teachers' and staff members' passwords, change or delete course content, and change course enrollment. One of the victims was Fairfax Superintendent Jack D. Dale, according to an affidavit filed by a Fairfax detective in Fairfax Circuit Court this week. But police and school officials decided no harm, no foul. The boy did not intend to do any serious damage, and didn't, so the police withdrew and are allowing the school district to handle the half-grown hacker.'"

Comments

Re:More likely,

[Runaway1956]

Face it - most schools are set up to be tedious punishment for kids. I mean, kids need to be punished for being kids.

From time to time, I read of some super exceptional kid who finished high school years ahead of his age group, and is finishing his first degree when his former classmates are getting their diploma. But, for the most part, the schools just want your warm body locked in a classroom for 180 days a year, to keep that revenue coming in.

Given that school is intended to be punishment, is it any wonder that "popular" computer programs are stupid, asinine, difficult, boring, ugly, and all the rest? If people ENJOYED using a program, it would never get approved in any school district!