I can sort of forgive this one because it was entry level, there is a desperation quotient, and it was rectified before he moved to any position of authority.

OTOH, advanced degree fraud I have a much harder time with. By using a fake advanced degree to gain a senior position she's not just stealing a loaf of bread, she's continually depriving a village of food for the sake of greed.

The punishment should be proportional to the spoils.

Of course, its inversely proportional these days. Steal a slice of pizza and get 20 years, do a white collar crime embezzling millions and get 18 months. But that's another topic.
Ye gawds & Little Fishes, man.. as you've described it - a psychotic Martinet refuses to cut this guy *Any Slack* despite his earnest efforts to 'make things right' and a genuine personal dilemma that is not contrived. ... followed by an Entire-Anal-retentive-University! ... YEARS! Later and -

You can "sort-of forgive" ?? in this case.
(If he were canonized first - would that help you budge?)

Shit: dissembling, duplicity, unreasonableness is rampant. And you (and others) want to make this entire issue - a fucking simplistic DIGITAL one - still !?

I don't get it; it sounds like purest mechanical sophistry - especially in the case you cite. And no little flavoring of Foulwellian far-Righteous sanctimony. Each case / person is NOT some simple Yes/No table IMO. (Not until the entire society grows a long way from present adolescence and its tacit acceptance of mandated bizness duplicity. Because: THAT is the Norm of today's Disneyland kultur.)


Ashton