Cheating is a vicious cycle
Isabel Chao, Centerspread Editor
Early in 2015, a reported 64 students at Dartmouth College cheated in — of all courses — an ethics class. They were promptly suspended. In higher education especially, it seems that there is a vicious cycle of cheating.
Students often fall into the cycle of cheating because it is human nature to succeed, survive and be “selected.” However, according to the American Psychological Association, engaging in activities that violate integrity skews an individual’s moral compass. Dishonest actions alter what students may deem as right or wrong and ultimately change the way students view cheating. Frankly, the concept of academic dishonesty should not be arbitrary, but rather a concrete, uniform definition.
To approach this issue, schools should more clearly define what constitutes academic dishonesty. Aragon teachers could make students write out honor codes on tests as a reminder to discourage cheating. Though the system isn’t perfect, schools should continue to support academic integrity and merit.
Cheating makes the school community lose
Victoria Daniel, English Teacher
My reactions to and feelings about cheating are twofold:
First is indignant anger. Why would they do this? Do they think teachers are ignorant? Do they feel the “rules” don’t apply to them? Why must the adults at school spend time trying to prevent and “catch” students who want to circumvent tasks other students will willingly face?
The second is disheartened dismay. Why must they do this? What stress or anxiety or confusion or sense of helplessness has led them to have to do this? Where is the moral compass we hope so much is instilled within our students?
The reasons for cheating are numerous; the justifications for cheating are non-existent. When students attempt to justify or condone their own actions once caught, when students try to shift the focus off their own actions by leading a “witch-hunt” to identify any reporters of the corrupt behaviors, when students stand aside and passively allow cheating to happen (the reasons for this, I understand, are myriad and complex but, nevertheless, unfortunate), we as a school community lose. We lose the chance to be our best selves and to cultivate the kind of communities we need in our world. Cheating is a selfish and self-indulgent act, and a “good” grade received as a result of cheating is nothing truly earned. How is pride and self-worth to be developed if time is spent creating shortcuts and mastering deception?
We as teachers, as parents, as a community do need to address what is clearly a problem. But in addition, I choose to focus my energies on the vast number of students — they are the majority — who do not cheat. These students face challenges honestly and earnestly, showing a desire to learn and grow. They are the reasons we teachers want to teach, and they deserve our attention and respect.
Before you cheat, consider a different perspective
Nicole Wallace, Photo Editor
Some cheaters may not be aware of the extent of their crime ethically and the effects on others because of egocentrism — when a person is unable to see a situation from another perspective other than their own. When a student cheats, they act purely in their own benefit and disregard others. In teenagers, cheating may psychologically be explained because there is an illusory sense of pressure that doesn’t take the negative externalities of cheating into account. Students who become more adept to hiding frequently get caught in a cycle of not learning class material. Because of egocentrism, they may exaggerate their hopelessness and not realize how they should get help. Regardless of the intentions of cheaters, all students must be able to understand their effect on the classroom outside of their own perspective.
Evolving technology in academic dishonesty
Franchesca Carracedo, Graphics Editor
There are many motivations that can induce students to cheat, but perhaps simply having the ability to do so is convincing enough. Students, more than ever, have unprecedented access to quick answers. Devices such as graphing calculators can save answers and formulas that students need for tests. Communication is also easier; no need to peer at a neighbor’s desk if you can corroborate with your friend over the phone. As for the internet, many sites such as Shmoop, Yahoo Answers or even Quizlet can provide exact information from specific problems in worksheets. New gadgets such as smartwatches provide access to this information in a more discreet way. As the technology in academic dishonesty advances, the need to process and think for the modern day student becomes null. Quite simply, it has become too easy to cheat.
Snitch, or whistleblower?
Emily Mao, News Editor
Let’s paint this scenario: Garfield finds his way to his seat in his first period classroom. There, he hears Mickey bragging about her 100 percent on the past math test. Garfield knows that Mickey had received photos of the test from a senior who took the class last year. Additionally, two factors complicate his scenario: first, there’s doubt: who is to say that Mickey is the only one who cheated? Surely, other students may have cheated as well. Would it be fair to rat one person out for cheating in an already flawed system? Secondly, with the uncertainties of the consequences of telling on Mickey, Garfield does not want the stigma of the “snitch” label.
While this story is hypothetical, what makes the act of “snitching” or “whistleblowing” so complicated is its underlying motives. Some people may argue that the reason for telling on students who cheat doesn’t matter. However, I believe that it does. Imagine this: if Garfield had recognized Mickey’s intent to cheat before the test and then stayed silent with the knowledge only to “snitch” on Mickey afterwards, that too would be a loss of integrity. I hold the belief that every student holds a responsibility to actively prevent the act of cheating and inform teachers of the possibility before it occurs.
A whistleblower is one who tells on cheaters because of their desire to maintain the fairness of the education system. Any form of telling on students that further disrupts the integrity of the system acts not to enhance fairness, but rather to further destruct it.
Don’t blame it all on the student: Cheating is a symptom of a greater issue
Michael Herrera, Features Editor
While many may be eager to attribute the culture of cheating to widespread moral weakness, the true cause is much less dramatic: many Aragon students are held to impossible standards of academic achievement. When a student cannot achieve something that is demanded of them through honest means, a tendency to cheat arises.
This is not to excuse cheating — when people cheat, teachers often have to work harder and students have to deal with more stringent rules. However, I argue that when a large swath of people begin to cheat, insteading of attempting to fix the problem by cutting out the bad apples, one must examine the tree.
While it is difficult to fully dissect the causes of Aragon’s competitiveness, it is clear that parents play the leading role. Not only are parents pushing their children to strive for perfection, but they are often creating a culture of unaccountability by defending their children when they are caught cheating. While I do not doubt that these parents are doing what they believe is best for their child, I implore them to consider the harm that their actions can cause not only to their child, but every student at Aragon.
With this in mind, the solution to cheating is unwarping the standards of success that leave many students with the two unsavory choices of failure and fraud.
In order to achieve this, we must instill in each other that failure is always an option. Many teachers, students and parents say this — but do not mean it. Many do not say it at all. We must say it, and be willing to prove we mean it by uplifting instead of judging others when they fail.
