Years ago, when I was actively working with the Boy Scouts of America in a council position, I faced a similar situation. A scout was working toward his Eagle Scout rank with only his life saving merit badge still required for completion of the requirements.
The scout came to camp that summer with full expectations of completing the requirements for his Eagle Scout award. Unfortunately, he could not meet the requirements set forth in the merit badge pamphlet. He tried numerous times during the course of the week to meet the requirements, each without success.
At the end of camp the camp director came to me and suggested that, because the boy's father was a high ranking officer at a local Air Force base and that the council received generous donations from the facility, that I "go a little easier on the boy" in order to allow him to meet his Eagle Scout requirements thereby appeasing his father and others.
I refused. Needless to say, there were some discussions regarding my intractible positon in the matter.
I learned later that after summer camp was over the young man went to the local YMCA where he passed all of his requirements with glowing facility.
To get to the point, I think many potential divers feel that they have "paid for the certification". The prospects don't grasp the fact that they have paid only to be instructed in the requirements, knowledge, and procedures to be certified as a diver after showing that they are capable of performing the requirements to the level set forth by the certifying agency.
I would have a very difficult time, ethically, working for a dive shop that "urged" that all students pass the certification requirements.
