College lets zero-tolerance penalty stand

boston - The College of the Holy Cross upheld its decision to expel a student two days before he graduated last May for selling fake IDs, despite a contrary ruling by a Worcester, Mass., criminal judge. Josh Bergen was charged with making and selling fake driver's licenses and arrested, part of a Holy Cross zero-tolerance crackdown on underage drinking after alcohol-related deaths of two students who had fake IDs. Bergen, who had no prior disciplinary offenses and owes $103,000 in college debt, feels he was a scapegoat. The criminal judge concluded Bergen experimented with making fake IDs, but there was no evidence he sold any. Still, Holy Cross said Bergen would receive no diploma.

Schools benefit from green curriculum

Students taught using programs that promote environmental literacy and skills score better on tests, participate in more hands-on learning, and have fewer discipline problems than those who follow standard academic programs, a report by the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation found. Environmental learning also increases motivation to learn, the report claims. It was based on case studies at 11 schools in the US that use environmental concepts in class.

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