Pace, I have to say that you appear to continually harp on about that press article you linked earlier as if you're somehow trying to justify it. You didn't write the article did you?
Of course the cadets may have taken control - that is the whole point of an air experience flight. It doesn't need a newspaper to tell us that. But from the newspaper's point of view - it makes a great story to tell to Joe public who's terrified at the thought of "unqualified" persons at the controls of an aircraft (dunno how they think pilots ever get trained
).