For cheating students, the punishment never fits the crime

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• Tom Stanley 2 years ago

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  No,

  Removing someone from advanced classes for committing an honor code violation is non-sensical. That is the same as saying you would remove special educaiton services from a child because they cheated. Apples and oranges.

  Removing a student from extra-curricular activities is shooting yourself in the foot. These activities are frequently what keep kids in school. Let the kids coach know what happened. They have ways of dealing with kids that do not measure up to the standards that a scholar athlete should maintain.

  Current thinking on grading in educaiton precludes the assignements of zeros for disciplinary issues. We need to seperate out discipline issues from academic issues. Yes, a kid should be punished. Grades should reflect academic performance not reflect a students discipline status.

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• b 2 years ago

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  "Grades should reflect academic performance not reflect a students discipline status."

  And if the student's actions preclude an accurate assessment of their academic performance (i.e., if they cheat)?

  I'm all for finding the most effective means of ensuring that the student realizes what s/he did is wrong, but the anti-academic mentality of some coaches raises questions about the efficacy of that mechanism as well.

  I look at it this way: a student in an honors/AP level class should be there because they feel it is beneficial to them in the long run. It will look good on their transcript, will save them a little money in college by reducing some GE classes, or whatever the case may be. By assigning zeroes, suspending students, and threatening to remove them from the class, you show that their actions jeopardize their potential to reap the intended benefit.

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• LP 2 years ago

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  Tom Stanley,

  I would like to point out that you are directly comparing advanced-level courses and special education classes. These two things have absolutely nothing in common. It is the difference between those who understand what cheating is and those who may or may not. Punishing a mentally impaired student to that degree is much, much harsher than one in an advanced-level course.

  Tell the coach what happened? Are you in special-ed classes? Coaches only care if they have a D in the class, and will one F put them into the red zone of failing? No. Coaches won't give a toot about whether they cheated, some desperate to win even encourage cheating in the game, so why not in school to pass? I would like to know, do you think that if basketball suddenly didn't exist, thousands of kids would drop out? You are wrong. First of all, kids are required to go to school until they're sixteen. That's typically halfway through junior year. Senior year's a breeze for those that are going to graduate, they only HAVE to take five classes. And one is a BS class! At that point, they figure they might as well stay just to hang out with their friends.

  Please stop making ridiculous claims, thank you.

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• Novack 2 years ago

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  As a previous student from one of your classes about 5 years ago, I am here to testify the importance of appropriately disciplining a cheating student.

  You may or may not remember, but I was one of many from an honors class that cheated on a test in your absence. You approached the situation much different than expected. You gave an opportunity for those who cheated to confess and be honest about the deed, and promptly receive a zero. If we did not confess, we would be found out anyway and even more severe actions were to be taken.

  I want to thank you for doing this. At the time I was really angry about your diehard attitude when it came to academic justice, but as a teacher education student now, I appreciate your actions. You taught me to own up to my mistake, and in doing so receive the consequences that were due. In any other class, the teacher would have probably not cared at all, maybe lecturing the class on integrity at best.

  As a future educator, I can only hope that I am not passive when it comes to academic honesty. Thank you again for this tough, but necessary lesson.

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