2 students charged in Cherry Hill hacking

A Cherry Hill High School East senior and a recent graduate were charged with computer theft after authorities said they hacked into the school computer system and improved grade records for four other students, police and school officials said yesterday.

Charged was Jonathan To, 18, a Drexel University freshman who graduated from the elite high school last year. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

A 17-year-old high school senior, whose name was withheld by police because he is a minor, was charged with the same crime. He could be imprisoned in a juvenile facility until he is 21 if convicted.

"These students were not failing kids who wanted to get passing grades," said Lt. William J. Kushina Jr., police spokesman. "They were excellent students who wanted to change their standings. They were making minute changes."

The grade-changing occurred in June and was discovered by a school employee during a routine audit of student grades in early September, according to school district officials. A discrepancy between computerized student transcripts and teachers' grade reports led to a joint school and police investigation, which was disclosed by The Inquirer last month.

Using teachers' passwords, the two young men accessed computers to change grades for four students, according to school officials and police.

Officials would not say whether the pair who were charged had changed their own grades.

People familiar with the investigation said students paid the two suspects to change grade records.

Kushina said he did not expect any other students to be criminally charged. "The investigation is over," he said.

The four students whose grades were changed were disciplined administratively by the school. School officials would not elaborate.

Both suspects were released after they were charged. To, who lives in Merion, could not be reached for comment. His court hearing is scheduled for Friday. No date has been set for the teen to appear in Camden County Family Court.

Schools Superintendent David Campbell said the district took the cheating seriously.

"We want the message to be very clear: This type of activity will not be tolerated," he said.

Susan Bastnagel, spokeswoman for the school district, said that all district staffers were directed to change their computer passwords after the cheating was discovered.

She said the school notified all colleges and universities to which Cherry Hill East students had applied that student transcripts were accurate. She said guidance counselors included a letter of assurance with each student's college application.

"It doesn't appear that the matter affected any early decisions by colleges to accept our students," Bastnagel said.

Campbell said: "This incident has been most unfortunate for the thousands of current and former Cherry Hill East students whose hard work and integrity have contributed to the school's fine reputation."

The 2,200-student school is known as one of the region's most competitive. Nearly every student graduates, and 98 percent of the Class of 2005 planned to attend college.