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Before anyone takes a moral stand one way or the other I must interject to say that the specific activity is illegal in the US and the UK.
[edited by: zootreeves at 12:02 pm (utc) on Dec. 7, 2005]
You should have gone to the principal or the IT-person and pointed the problem out to them. They would have thanked you.
Computer misuse offences
1 Unauthorised access to computer material.
...
3 Unauthorised modification of computer material.
...
(7) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both; and
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine or to both.
Link to the law: [opsi.gov.uk...]
Conclusion: you lucky they did not press charges.
You can try defence trying to prove that what you did was with your sisters consent (this may or may not stand) and/or technicalities of not having notices referring to rules governing access to data - but in all probability by joining your school you had to sign paper that clearly details that.
If I were you I'd talk to solicitor.
[edited by: Lord_Majestic at 12:00 pm (utc) on Dec. 7, 2005]
So I can see their point of view. Illegality to one side, you did go in and cause willfull mutilation of their data. And you knew that when you were doing it.
I think the main objective is that you try and get back into the college. Have you tried begging, pleading reformation and asking nicely?
TJ
Did they have a dictionary in the college library - or is argument spelled differently where you live?
My education is going down the pan already and I've only been out of school for two days.
Thanks for your replies. I didn't not change anything maliciously, the changed report was quite clearly meant to be a prank. I didn't actually save it on the system, I just printed it off. But they were more concern about the principle, than what I actually did. So I guess theres not much I can do really.
It's at the worst time as well, because It's half way through the year and so no other school's want to take me and my A level exams are just around the corner.
Have you tried begging, pleading reformation and asking nicely?
Also, how did you get caught?
Just to be mean you... there shouldn't be an apostrophe there. :)
But, try an appeal to their security fears. Offer to tell them where else there could be holes.
To catch a thief....
It's at the worst time as well, because It's half way through the year and so no other school's want to take me and my A level exams are just around the corner.
Have you told the college that, and that really this potentially could destroy your entire education?
Seems odd to me. What you did was serious, but rectifiable.
Are you sure you're giving us the full story? Anything else you did while you were in there?
A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months
Applicable to 16/17 year olds? At that age are they even "people"? :)
Applicable to 16/17 year olds?
I am not sure it applies to 16/17 - at the time of posting I assumed the original poster is 18+, but I actually think it may apply to 16+ : whether this is right or wrong its another matter.
In this case however I'd say applying criminal charges would have been too harsh and Crown Prosecution Service probably would not have taken the case, but exclusion from school is almost certain, as it actually happened.
This is a very serious issue - getting solicitor or at least talking to Citizens Buraue (sp?) is a must have thing.
I didn't actually save it on the system, I just printed it off.... is also pertinent. Material wasn't modified.
I was 17 when I first figured out how to login (I known about it for ages, but never done anything), but 18 when I committed the offence.
[edited by: zootreeves at 12:53 pm (utc) on Dec. 7, 2005]
I am not sure it applies to 16/17 - at the time of posting I assumed the original poster is 18+
... and some!
You are very clever for someone who hasn't yet sat your A Levels Mr. Reeves. ;)
I also booked the libary out (the teachers have an online booking system and I booked the rest of term under the name DJ dumbling).
Surely that's a 2 minute job to rectify?
Sounds to me like they're just really annoyed with you. And I can see that point of view to be honest!
I would try the begging route again, but leave it for a few days to cool down, and let them fix their system. In that time, at least make the effort to try and get into other colleges, so you can show this college that you did everything you could to try and get in elsewhere.
I think the advice to contact a solicitor is good, although I don't think there's much you can do to force the college to take you back.
...and i got expelled...
What are the terms of the expulsion?
It is rare for any school/college to completely 'expel' anyone. Usually bans are enforced for specified periods of time, possibly with terms and conditions attached to returning.
Syzygy
What are the terms of the expulsion?
I'm allowed to come back and sit my exams if I cannot find another college where I can do that. But apart from that i'm not allowed in school.
Ok so most of you think that I should just beg to get my place back? Rather than go the route of saying I was unfairly expelled and try and see I can force them to take me back?
Pupils who committed crimes were expelled automatically.
Unfortunately, even if Mr Reeves isn't prosecuted, they do have reasonable grounds for expulsion. He also needs to remain nice to them, otherwise, a vindictive or annoyed head could still take him to court. Even if the case is dropped later, it will effectively prevent him from taking exams.
Incidentally, I am occasionally a guest lecturer at a British university. Two of my postgraduate students were expelled last year for collusion on an assignment.
Seems this is still the case.
I'm allowed to come back and sit my exams if I cannot find another college where I can do that. But apart from that i'm not allowed in school.
Ah, ok. That seems fair enough to me. At least you can do the work yourself, or get private tuition.
TJ
That seems fair enough to me. At least you can do the work yourself, or get private tuition.
Maybe your right, it's not the end of the world... I never really did any work at school anyway, just learnt everything in the week before exams.
Has anyone else on here ever been expelled?
Maybe this self-imposed punishment would make them change their mind. Since they would see that you have thought about what you have done and are not only sorry that you have been caught.
In that case, some of the teachers or the principals might be willing to "pull some levers" behind the scenes to get you into a different school. Is there one among them you trust/like the most? Maybe you should talk to him/her about that issue with the goal to get help to get into a different school.
What IT guy? It's a school. The history teacher probably doubles up as the IT guy because he once won a cordless mouse in a raffle.
Lol. he is an IT specialist, but he probably wouldn't even know how to use a cordless mouse if he did win one...
I bet the IT guy made a bigger deal of it than they should to cover their butt.
your exactly right. 90% of the teachers thought it was funny, but the It guy was furious (He actually threatened to hit me he was so angry).
[edited by: zootreeves at 2:32 pm (utc) on Dec. 7, 2005]
