Pop quiz: What’s the best way to pass a proficiency test when you work for a highly scrutinized federal agency already under fire for ineptitude? If you answered “pay $200 to the instructor,” then maybe you are among those TSA agents getting the boot from Philadelphia International Airport.

Back in November, the TSA got wind that something might be rotten among the screeners and pat-downers at PHL, and suspended 10 agents while it investigated.

In February, a training instructor pleaded guilty in federal court to accepting a $200 payment from one security officer in exchange for a passing grade on a test. She was sentenced to 300 hours of community service and six months of house arrest, with four years of probation.

Then today, the TSA announced it will be dismissing seven additional agents alleged to have paid for passing grades.

The other three suspended TSA staffers have already resigned.

From the TSA statement:

TSA holds all of its employees to the highest professional and ethical standards and has zero tolerance for misconduct in the workplace. The agency takes prompt and appropriate action with any employee who does not follow TSAs procedures and engages in misconduct. The decision to propose the removal of the seven TSA employees affirms our strong commitment to the safety of the traveling public and to hold all our employees to the highest standards of conduct and accountability.

TSA moves to fire 7 Philly workers for misconduct [Philly.com]

7 TSA Workers Being Canned In Wake of Testing Scandal At PHL Airport [CBS Philadelphia]

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