[Al Skierkiewicz]

I am encouraged that the majority of the responses thus far tend to be lenient. No one is calling for the public block and whipping. I agree with the majority that FIRST and GP requires a different remedy than general cheaters are subject to in similar life situations. I have witnessed team dynamics and find that when a team discusses a rule violation, the final decision is usually one person or a very small group pressing the rest to follow along. Those teams that get GP use it regularly as a valid argument in these types of discussions. Each year, as I meet more people from more teams, I am encouraged to find teams that I would trust to do right. Occasionally, a newcomer will briefly express a desire to skirt the rules and will receive heavy opposition from the rest of the team.
As to retribution, I lean towards the offenders being given a chance to right the wrong. Some of you have suggested a period of time when the team may not enter the pit area, removal of the offending system etc. I like these alternatives as it allows the team to make a correction, it allows other teams to make their own decisions under their interpretation of GP and it doesn't beat the team members so badly that they want to leave the program.
I believe we need to reward the hard GP decisions as much as the teams that easily follow rules and succeed in competition. Should a team still refuse to take one of these GP alternatives, then it is their own decision. I am an optimist, but I don't think there is a team, now or in the future, in this organization that would choose the wrong path.