Diplomas Delayed After Grade Hacking

A computer hacking scandal is rocking Reading Senior High School, with diplomas for dozens of students having been placed on hold.

There's an investigation and there's outrage.

Seniors like Bianca Garcia said the hackers put a damper on graduation day after four years of hard work at the high school.

"We shouldn't have been be punished for what they did, and they should have a harsher punishment," said senior Bianca Garcia. "… We're the ones who worked hard and 34 students ruined it for us."

Principal Wynton Butler said an investigation revealed altered grades of 34 students in a computer lab class.

Some of those students had their grades changed for the worse. Others are in big trouble for knowing hackers were improving GPAs.

Butler said, "A few of them terribly upset that they know they were caught."

Caught and not graduating until they take the classes over, according to the principal.

"To be honest, about 15 of them have said that they knew something was going on," Butler said.

Investigators said hackers used a teacher's password to log in Monday. The problem is the teacher wasn't there.

The diplomas the students would have received at Wednesday's commencement ceremony were instead handed out by school officials Thursday afternoon in the school cafeteria.

While good students like Garcia proudly head off to college, their principal hopes everyone learns an important life lesson.

"We're trying to teach kids that you can't cheat and get away with it," Butler said.

Butler, a former Army man, told Fox 29 he's recommending a password policy that the military uses: Change your password every month.