Posted 3:21 PM by Floyd

Schadenfreude alert:

Blair Hornstine, the overachieving daughter of a take-no-prisoners judge in Moorestown, New Jersey, used disability regulations to get herself the highest possible GPA at her school. She claimed to have "chronic fatigue", which did not prevent her from taking part in a large number of extracurricular activities (such as running with the Olympic torch). The school administration caught on, and instituted a co-valedictorian under the theory that Hornstine had not even participated in many classes (she was taught by a tutor) and therefore did not really compete with the normal students. Hornstine sued the school district for several million dollars.

A federal judge ruled that Hornstine was the sole valedictorian. The graduation ceremony was held, though Hornstine did not attend. Meanwhile, the local paper noticed that Hornstine's school paper writing was copied from other sources, including Bill Clinton.

Hornstine had been accepted at Harvard University. Harvard withdrew its admission because of the plagiarism.

(Thanks to Joanne Jacobs for the news.)