Mom's Talk: Local Mom Hacker Changed Kids’ Grades
What is the most extreme thing you would do to help your kids?
Moms Talk is a weekly feature on all Lehigh Valley Patches in which local parents, caregivers and other members of the community are invited to share opinions and advice on parenting topics.
This week’s Moms Talk question relates to the story of a former Northwestern Lehigh School District employee, who, according to police, used the superintendent’s password to hack into the district’s grading system and change her kids’ grades. According to a report in The Morning Call, Catherine Venusto, 45, also told police that she had used the password to gain access to district emails and personnel files. Venuto, who faces third-degree felony charges, according to the Morning Call report, said she had no idea what she was doing was illegal.
What you think about our local “Hacker Mom” and how far she went to help her kids do well in school?
Our Moms Council members include:
- Lisa Amey of Upper Milford Township is a stay-at-home mom to an 8-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. A past president of the MOMS Club of Emmaus and longtime member of MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers), Lisa is an Independent Consultant for Arbonne International.
- Lisa Drew of Emmaus is a certified nutritionist and personal trainer, wellness and fitness coach with more than 17 years of experience. She is the mother of a 13-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy.
- Jennifer Elston of Emmaus has almost two decades of professional experience in child development and counseling. She is currently a stay-at-home mom to two beautiful girls. Together with her husband, Chris, she owns Christopher Elston Photography.
- Jeanne Lombardo of Nazareth is the mother of a 10-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl. She’s new to the Lehigh Valley, having moved to Nazareth from Bergen County, NJ in January.
- Lisa Merk of Lower Macungie is a stay-at-home mother of four boys – a 12-year-old and 6-year-old triplets. Lisa is a past president of the MOMS Club of Lower Macungie East. In her “spare” time, Lisa teaches piano to school-age children.
- Zoila Bonilla Paul of Bethlehem is a stay-at-home mom to two girls – a 5-year-old and a 14-month-old. Zoila is a member of her local “moms’ club” and says she is “well-versed in the fun that children can bring.”
- Beth Sharpless of Emmaus works part time in a local emergency department as a nurse and part time from home as a customer support specialist. She has two children -- a boy who is almost 2 and a 5-year-old girl. She says they love spending time outdoors and dancing.
If you would like to become a part of the Moms Council and/or have ideas for future Moms Talk questions, please email jennifer.marangos@patch.com.
Beth
7:38 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
I think that is a bit extreme. Kids need to take responsibility for their own actions.
Jennifer Elston
8:53 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
I think it is crazy that she said she didn't realize what she was doing was illegal. As a mom I can understand why she would do something like that though. But, as Beth said, her kids need to be responsible for their actions.
Mary Anne Looby
12:50 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
I cannot belive as a mom, you understand why she would do something like that. A moral person would never think to do something like that. Of course we all want our kids to do well, but do you do it by teaching them to cheat?
Carl W
10:51 am on Monday, July 23, 2012
.....If didn't know illegal, well, even looking at confidential personnel files. Sounds like time to seriously question the child-rearing.
Jennifer Elston
1:26 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
I do understand why she would do it. I never said I thought it was right! It isn't. I would never do that. However, I can understand why a parent would want to "help" their children no matter what the cost. I would never teach my children to cheat. I am a "by the book" parent and my children know right from wrong. I teach them to have strong & high morals and work ethics. They would never, for example, be caught CHEATING and highlighted in a newspaper article for everyone to see.
Scott Korin
9:02 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
I wouldn't call using a password you know because you made it for someone "hacking."
Walter
9:16 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Hacking in this context is defined as “someone who accesses a computer system by circumventing its security system”.
Using someone else’s password to gain access to a system because you don’t have one or to disguise your identity is hacking.
tamarya
7:52 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
Hacking is illegially entering a computer you have no access to anymore.
Allan Bach
10:49 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Passwords that are shared remove any type of first tier security from a computer. The Superintendent should be reprimanded for sharing the password and not changing it when the employee was let go.
I agree with Scott. This is not hacking, it is irresponsibility, in my opinion.
tamarya
7:55 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
So in otherwords someone can put spyware on your computer to pull your passwords, whether through email or anyway they can get into your computer, but since you opened whatever put spyware on your system and your computer is entered through passwords pulled it is not being hacked, interesting.
Lisa Amey
11:29 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Whether illegal or not, if this is considered hacking or not, as a mom, I would never consider doing this. It's just plain wrong. I would put my efforts into doing what I could to help my child take responsibility and improve their school performance.
Allan Bach
11:38 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Mom's like Lisa may be rare today. Helicopter parents (I heard this term from a counselor) seem to be gaining in number. This article makes me curious if any other staff members had access.
Mary Anne Looby
12:45 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
This is a disgrace. Hacking or not, doing what she did has taught her child that lying cheating and stealing are all ok, especially when they benefit you. She has probably made her child the butt of ridicule in school. A line from Forrest Gump seems to apply to this mother "stupid is as stupid does".
Mary Anne Looby
12:53 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
If you are asking what the most extreme (illegal) thing you would do for your kids, the answer should be NOTHING.
Carl W
10:46 am on Monday, July 23, 2012
As many, (can't think of the guys name - football player, famous trial) feel father went on trial for murder of his wife & her lover, to protect his son, who really shot them because he was so hurt & angry at their adultery.
I never had children, but if one of my nephews did same, I'd try to take the fall for him, because I love them.
Rosemary B
3:13 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
Then you would not be doing them any favors. Wrong is wrong and needs to be made right or punished. People all need to take responsibility for their own actions. That is what we should all be teaching our kids.
Gramma24
1:04 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
This is all part of the 'must win at all costs' mentality anymore. The one comment said 'as a mom I understand why she did it' really? I bet she's also the one to make sure all kids play on the sports team whether they have talent or not, the one to 'make sure' they all get a trophy, whether they won or not....'cause after all, they gotta feel good about themselves. Hey, helicopter mommies, in the real world, some people win, some people lose....it's the way life works. Some people are good in some areas and not so good in others......why force the issue that they have to 'feel good about it all'....maybe a failing grade in a class would teach them that slacking off isn't good enough, maybe being denied access to a sports team because the 'grades aren't good enough' will encourage them to 'try just a little bit harder'....No, what we have is 'I want it, I want it now, and MY mom will demand, scream, threaten to sue, or in this case, hack into the account, to make sure I get what I want'.....I feel sorry for the kids today. There is no sense of satisfaction of earning something or doing a good job to see results.
Mary Anne Looby
1:10 pm on Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sad to say, but I have to agree with you Gramma24. I don't know what philosophy some parents today are buying into.
Carl W
11:01 am on Monday, July 23, 2012
Don't schools change passwords, say, any day the principal decides, not routinely, like weekly or monthly, & inform those permitted to know? (Note the movie, w/ the "woper/wopper" computer - teen started out changing grades, 'cause he knew where the new passwords were). Change them, HIDE them.
Mary Anne Looby
11:59 am on Monday, July 23, 2012
Carl, I think you are missing the point. However the password is handled, she was entrusted with it as a member of the staff. She committed a crime to give her child a better chance. What was she teaching her child????
Mary Anne Looby
5:02 pm on Monday, July 23, 2012
"HELP MY CHILD, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST" seems to be the difference between mom's of today, and mom's of 20 to 40 years ago. "TEACH MY CHILD WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG NO MATTER WHAT THE COST" would have been our mantra.
'
Lisa Merk
8:18 am on Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Give me a break, she didn't know it was illegal? Really? In a world where my husband can't even pick up my library book due to privacy and she CHANGES her child's grades, and she claims she had NO IDEA it was illegal. Yeah right.