Seniors caught using cell phones to cheat on test

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