VIRGINIA BEACH
The world of crib sheets and scribbled notes under hat brims has collided with the realm of technology. And one local school is dealing with the fallout.
Dozens of seniors at Bishop Sullivan High School used cell phones cradled near their pockets to share answers to a test in the last weeks of school.
In the end, a third of the members of the senior class were punished by an honor court of their peers. And half a dozen saw their memberships in the National Honor Society revoked.
Matthew Smith, 19, who graduated from Bishop Sullivan this spring, said he heard or saw at least two students text messaging during the test on modern forms of government, the last before exams.
"I didn't know they were texting all the multiple choice questions. I thought they were just asking for help," a more routine occurrence, Smith said.
At least 30 of the 100 seniors at the close-knit Catholic school cheated, said Principal Dennis Price. The test was given in several class sections over the course of the day.
The case illustrates educators' concerns about cell phones as a tool for dishonesty. A survey last month of more than 1,000 middle- and high schoolers found that 83 percent have cell phones. Among that group, more than a third admit using them to cheat in school. The survey also found that fewer than half of the students think texting answers during a test is a serious offense. A San Francisco non profit called Common Sense Media commissioned the survey.
"It's not that with cell phones a new thing is happening," said Dan Wueste, director of the ethics institute at Clemson University. "All that's changed is the technology."
Price said a Bishop Sullivan student alerted the administration to the widespread cheating.
While disappointed by the behavior, "they're still kids," Price said. "They do dumb things. The objective is that they learn now." He said student and staff orientations this August will address the incident.
Punishments were individualized by the honor court, and many of the students received a zero grade for the test and demerits on their record.
Another spring graduate, Paige Dwyer, 18, said cheating was allowed to persist for too long. "This wasn't the first time. It just involved more people."
She said it bothered her to see students accept awards at graduation only a few weeks after cheating. Several students described being part of a senior class praised as among the best. However, some turned a blind eye to requests for tips or clues about tests as their high school careers drew to a close.
Like most local schools, Bishop Sullivan forbids student use of cell phones during the day. But cell phone policies seem to make little difference in student behavior. According to the Common Sense poll, 63 percent of students in schools that ban cell phones use them, and 66 percent use phones in schools that require them to be turned off.
Wueste said that while cell phones have made cheating easier, prevention can be simpler as well. "Make them check them at the door," the ethicist said.
Price said the school will not turn into "Big Brother" as a result of the cheating. "We're just going to be more vigilant, that's all."
This was the first school year for a new honor code and peer judging council, both developed with input from students. The honor pledge states: "On my honor, I will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor will I give or receive unauthorized assistance on any work. I will expect the same of my peers."
Price said he's disappointed by the students' behavior, but realistic. "Going in, we didn't expect it to change everything in one year," he said. "Our goal is to make sure it won't happen because students won't put up with it."
Caitlyn Pugsley, 18, a member of the Class of 2009, said she felt hurt by her classmates' behavior but said the administration's reaction was appropriate. "Being at a Catholic school, we teach the forgiveness thing," she said. "Everyone deserves to be forgiven."
Lauren Roth, (757) 222-5133, lauren.roth@pilotonline.com
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Bluewaterman
I propose that *your* moral equivalency statements are part of the problem.
I don't like it anymore than you do when people stay in a lane that is about to close until the last minute, then make people slow down for them as they veer into the other lane. However, that is *rude* behavior. Not immoral behavior. See how presenting that as morally equivalent to cheating on an exam could confuse our kids morally?
In fact, there are some motorist groups that *advocate* keeping both lanes moving until the last minute, then having the cars merge in a zipper-like fashion. This is done in Germany but we Americans don't seem to be able to handle the concept of cars taking turns moving, first one lane, then the other, then the first lane again, then the other . . .
cheating is learned behavior
The students learn to cheat by watching their parents, whose daily actions include passive-aggressive behaviors, such as cutting in a line of waiting cars at the last (and often beyond) possible moment, presumably because they believe their time is so much more important than yours (so in that regard, they are also stealing your time).
the punishment should fit the crime
I also have a child who attended Bishop Sullivan Catholic High and a child who attended our local public school. We are neither priveledged nor naive. We know cheating goes on at all schools. Both of our children have witnessed similar cheating incidents. The difference in both of their experiences has been the school administations' reaction to both incidents. Unlike, Catholic High's "kids will be kids" reaction (give some of them a zero, and take away they're honor society membership (give me a break)), the reaction of the public school in a similar cheating incident was to suspend every student involved and notify each college where they were accepted of the incident. Allowing peers of students to dish out the punishments obviously failed here. The administrators at Catholic High need to make tough calls when they're warranted. These are high school seniors - not "kids"!
Cell Phone Cheating
As a parent of 2 graduates of Bishop Sullivan (one who graduated this year and was NOT involved in the cheating situation), I find myself agreeing with some comments, while other comments I find most offensive and way off base. My children are not "privileged" nor do they feel a sense of entitlement. They are hard working students, who took 7 classes a day EVERYDAY. They were both NHS members and earned their grades the hard way..by studying. They didn't have tests that were "dumbed down" to boost their egos or their grades. Their curriculum was college level. I know this for a fact, as my daughter who is a junior in college, has sat through many a college class, that was nothing but a duplicate of things that she had already learned in high school. We have made financial sacrifices within our family so that we could afford to give our children a Catholic education. Those out there who think only the rich go to private school are as mistaken as those who think cheating and rampant cell phone use isn't happening in Virginia Beach Public Schools. This is a societal problem not just a private school problem. Until hard and fast figures are made public in regards to the numbers caught
Watch out folks,
that 20 and 23% who think notes and calling friends for information about a test question is not cheating will someday be a banker, a broker, an accountant, a lawyer, an engineer, a police officer, etc.
Some will be future community movers and shakers.
And no one taught them right from wrong.
Those deeply held moral issues are taught at age 5 and up and are called conscience. And those values are passed down from family and community.
By the time they are in high school, only the threat of severe penalties will keep them in check until they graduate. Then they will probably revert to entitlement behavior.
The article states that this
The article states that this is the first year for the new honor code. Well it has been tested and I'm sure it will be tweaked. I know of another local private school that makes the students sign an honor statement on EACH test that they take swearing that they did not receive help in completing the test. It isn't just done at the beginning of the year, but is constantly reinforced throughout the year.
What good is a 4.0 average without personal integrity?
Personal honor is the only thing that cannot be taken away from you by force; you must willingly throw it away yourself. I think I am quoting someone, but I cannot find a cite. If you cheat on small tests, you will cheat on the big ones and life is just one series of tests.
Ask YOUR KIDS who the cheaters are ...
This is not a political issue, or an entitlement issue, or an issue of wealth and class. It's an HONESTY and INTEGRITY issue.
I grew up in a fairly poor area that was becoming more wealthy by the day. I attended "tracked" high school classes with the best and brightest of the geniuses, and I *knew* who the cheaters were. They were from all backgrounds -- for some, the only thing that set them apart was the pressure they felt to be perfect, to get nothing but A's. They couldn't handle it, so cheating was an easy way out. For others, cheating was a game -- they did it because they could. By continuing to cheat and by not getting caught, their little minds were convinced they were somehow smarter than the authority figures.
Cheating will never stop -- it's too alluring. The only way to attempt to prevent it is for authority figures to make it less alluring by guaranteeing harsh punishments for those who are caught.
My young daughter attends a local Catholic school, primarily because we are very happy that the values and morals she's learning at home are a part of daily school life. I hope that one day, my daughter will attend Bishop Sullivan, but hearing about the school's handli
To continue:
Hearing about the school's handling of this issue saddens me. Those students should have been dealt with much more harshly. By not taking this ethical and moral violation seriously, the school itself is cheapening the education it provides.
Dozens Of Seniors Cheating By Using Cell Phones?
This would NEVER happen at a public school in the Hampton Roads area. First, any student who is even caught with a cell phone in the classroom during a test would be punished. There were students who had their cell phones taken away for talking on them in the school building before school started. If this private school had the strict cell phone policy that public schools have, then maybe one or two students would get caught cheating using a cell phone, not dozens of seniors.
Leighb18417
I hope youre kidding...
This post is
a joke or supposed to sarcastic isn't it?
Reality
The reality is that these kids will get away with it. Even if this happened in a public school. Its a numbers game folks!! Nobody wants these kids back. They are seniors!! Plus you would upset their parents. The public school system and I assuming the private sector, does not prepare these kids for the life outside of high school and college. And Im not too sure if its their responsibiltiy. And to the kid who made the reference to "forgiveness," wait till you get out in the real world!! Once again, not prepared for reality.
My Experience
When I taught at a private university, I was mandated authority to expel students when they cheated. When a few tried, I went directly to the provost of the university. Gone.
Different rules at this private institution.
Oh, the irony...
Just over three months to the day after the Pilot wrote a glowing article lauding the honor code at Bishop Sullivan, we now learn that a large part of the senior class (at least) doesn't believe in practicing what they preach. Color me surprised...only not.
And don't give me the "forgiveness" line. I'm so tired of hearing wrongdoers piously proclaim that they're "forgiven" for everything from cheating in school to adultery to murder because Jesus loves them or some such tripe. These kids flagrantly violated the very code they promised to uphold. They need to learn that there are consequences to cheating and lying that aren't just a slap on the wrist and a "don't do it again, you naughty thing."
Old Honor Code
When the school was known as Catholic High School, the honor code was shorter, but still in force. I knew Price even then, but his latest statement surprises the heck out of me.
Cell Phones in Schools
Bottom line here is not the use of texting to cheat, but the lack of accountability of the students who cheated. Did they not Pledge the Honor Code? This is a problem in our society today. No one allowing themselves to be held accountable. How is this any different than someone cheating on their tax returns. The schools can stop the cheating through the use of technology by installing cell phone blockers, but that is not the issue here. The issue is the break down of morals and value systems in our country and actually believing that cheating, in any form, is wrong. It is sad when young people idolize the star atheletes who just say "I'm sorry" and never pay any real consequences for their actions (they're sorry, sorry for getting caught).
Seniors Cheating
..... education. We as parents, and he as a student is ultimately responsible for his actions as anyone in society should be regardless of what school they go to attend. Ultimately, parents & administrators need to work together when incidences such as these occur. If we really want to compare apples-to-apples, we would need to see all local stats on cheating, juvenile offenses, etc. for both private & public schools. I am sure many people would be ashamed of their own schools as well.
Seniors Cheating
I feel sorry for anyone who feels they need to throw stones at Catholic Schools or the parents who send their children there. These seniors are definitely wrong in their choices, however, no Hampton Roads parent in any local school can say that their administration adequately punishes all students for their offenses in every case either. My son has attended both public & Catholic schools and I have seen both good & bad in both. It is also wrong for anyone to assume that parents who send their children to Catholic school are giving them a lesson in 'skating through life' or 'not having consequences', nor should they assume we are wealthy. My husband is enlisted Navy and by no means are we wealthy. We have made a choice to send our son to Catholic schools because of our Faith and the fact that God is still allowed in these schools. We do have to leave many decisions to administration regarding what goes on in school as with any other, but this does not replace Parenting. The financial sacrifice we make for our son to attend Catholic school is well worth it. He works very hard to keep up with the level of education that these schools provide to those that choose a private educa
Good Teachers
...give there students enough information before the test so they dont resort to cheating. kids at Bishop sullivan, for the most part are smart enough to get by without cheating but at the same time they feel pressure to achieve at the highest level. relieve the pressure they feel to get straight a's and you will eliminate cheating. i am sorry but kids cheating to get an 'A' does not bother me as much as kids who cheat because they know absolutely nothing. ironically kids who know nothing do not know how to cheat because they do not know what is on the test. if so many kids feel the need to cheat then what does that say about the teacher and the information they were required to know?.....It means it was not presented properly or it was too much. The fact that cheating was rampant says more about the teacher than the students.