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Dateline NBC pulled a fast one Sunday night, but instead of targeting sexual predators, they took down … a group of middle school kids cheating on a test.

The kids’ parents were in on it, too. How did it go down?

In a physical education class, no less. The children were told they had to complete an obstacle course to audition for an “ultimate challenge” TV show.

Unbeknownst to them, Dateline was secretly recording the test, and had planted an actress who encouraged the kids to cheat by inflating their scores.

Their proud parents sat watching in an adjoining room.

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The first time through, the kids tried to stop the actress from lying and insisted on posting their real results. The second time, though, they cracked.

Natalie Morales then came out and told the kids they’ve been set up to see if they cheat. Needless to say, they were mortified when they found out.

Dateline said the report was intended to show how peer pressure affects kids, and maybe so, but it was basically entrapment and public humiliation.

There’s got to be a better way to prove a point, right?