[dzdt]

> It has nothing to do with her as a person and everything to do with a bad PR incident.

Yes. The rejection is not about further punishing Ms. Jones. It is about protecting Harvard from bad press.

Is it unreasonable that Harvard admissions be based in part on protecting its image in the publuc eye?

[rhizome]

Harvard's image isn't going to be compromised with an altruistic admission, they just don't want to stand up for rehabilitation.

Consider what that says about their integrity, their culture, and their goals as an institution.

[dahdum]

Do you really think their image wouldn't be compromised by selecting a convicted child murderer for their PHD program? I can't imagine the US would majority poll in support of that, and I doubt it would differ across party lines all that much either.

To put in perspective, we're still at 60% support for the death penalty in this country.